Mayor Kirk Watson said several local hospitals will step in to provide forensic exams for sexual assault survivors after the SAFE Alliance announced it would have to shutter its program because of funding gaps.
The Eloise House program previously provided these services, but in April, the SAFE Alliance announced it was among four of its programs facing closure because of a $4 million funding shortfall. The SAFE Alliance is set to continue those services through the June 8 before the hospitals take over.
The evidence collected from the exams is what Austin police and district attorneys use to investigate and prosecute sexual violence. The Eloise House program has provided approximately 600 exams annually. The program also assigns survivors an advocate to accompany them during the recovery process. That service is expected to continue.
The other programs at risk of closing are the downtown shelter the organization runs, Planet Safe, a secure child exchange program for children of sexual assault survivors and SAFE Futures, which helps keep children with their parents.
The SAFE Alliance needed nearly $1.7 million to keep Eloise House operational.
SAFE Alliance CEO Pierre Berastaín previously told KUT that local, state and federal entities have pulled back funding and donors have drawn back their contributions, leading to the funding gap.
Over the last several weeks, Watson helped facilitate conversations between Ascension Seton, Baylor Scott & White, St. David's Healthcare and the SAFE Alliance to find a way to keep the programs open.
"Our priority has always been, as it should be, focused on sexual assault survivors and to make sure survivors in our community get the care and services they deserve," Watson said.
Watson said this is not about any one organization or the way it's been done in the past.
"This is about the survivors and making sure they have the services they need," he said. "We've worked hard and I'm pleased the hospitals remain committed to finding a solution for our community and the survivors of sexual assault. They will have the services they need. That's always been our focus."
In a joint statement, the hospitals said they are working with the Brave Alliance, another organization that provides forensic exams and services, to ensure a thoughtful path forward.
"Our focus remains on sustainable, coordinated solutions centered on the needs of patients, today and in the future," the hospitals said.
Officials with the Brave Alliance said it plans to maintain sufficient staffing and operational capacity to provide 24/7 coverage and "timely, victim-centered care."
In a statement, the SAFE Alliance said the closing of Eloise House was deeply sad, but staff are committed to helping facilitate a smooth transition.
"This marks the close of a long-standing role SAFE has played in the community's response to sexual assault," the organization said in a statement. "For years, Eloise House has been the primary site for forensic exams in Travis County, delivering care designed around dignity, safety, and coordination during some of the most difficult moments in survivors' lives."
It is not yet clear what this means for the remaining programs that were identified as at risk of closing.
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