5-02/110.30 - Emergency Medical Examinations

When an emergency examination is required for the purpose of ascertaining a recent (within 120 hours) sex offense committed on a juvenile, the juvenile should be examined as soon as possible with or without the consent of the parent or guardian, Pursuant to Penal code section 13823.11 (4) and section 6920 of Family Code-Division 11, part 4 of Chapter 3- Medical Treatment. Examinations are obtainable at the following facilities, listed in order of preference:

• Local Contract Hospital - evidence shall be preserved by the examining doctor until he or she is relieved of the evidence by Deputies;
• LAC/USC Medical Center - examination will be given at this facility only if emergency hospitalization or treatment is also needed.  Evidence will be held by the admitting room physician until he or she is relieved of the evidence by Deputies; or
• Family Doctor - advise parents to have the doctor preserve the evidence and obtain the doctor's name, address, and phone number where he or she can be contacted for the medical report.

NOTE: 120-hour SART protocol stems from California Governor’s Office of Emergency Service (Cal OES) 2-924 instructions- when history of acute sexual assault is less than 120 hours. For further information on 120-hour protocol, refer to California Clinical Forensic Medical Training Center (www.ccfmtc.org).

NOTE: Refer to the Miscellaneous Line Procedures chapter regarding rape cases - laboratory specimens and billing procedures.