160 North Midland Avenue
Nyack, New York 10960-1998
(845) 348-2000 www.nyackhospital.org
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASECONTACT: Amy Massimo
Director, Public Affairs PHONE: 845.348.2773
Nyack Hospital Partners with Rockland Family Shelter and NYS Crime Victims Board to Care for Victims of Sexual Assault
Shown, left to right: Kiera Pollock, Director of Special Victims Services, Rockland Family Shelter; Carolyn Fish, Executive Director, Rockland Family Shelter; Tina Stanford, Chairwoman, New York State Crime Victims Board; Ken Zebrowski, Jr., NYS Assembly; Ellen Jaffee, NYS Assembly;David Freed, DHA, President & CEO, Nyack Hospital
Nyack Hospital recently held a press conference to announce the renovation of its Sexual Assault Forensic Examination Room, the acquisition of the medical examination equipment located at Nyack Hospital and the funding of this project through the New York State Crime Victims Board.
Under a grant awarded by the NYS Crime Victims Board, Nyack Hospital upgraded and renovated its Sexual Assault Forensics Examination room. The private room, with bath with shower facilities, houses equipment vital to the process of forensic medical examinations.
Tara Healy, RN, SAFE Coordinator from the Rockland Family Shelter, demonstrated the equipment to members of the media and community leaders. Equipment purchased included a specialized microscope for the documentation of injuries in cases of sexual assault. Attending the press conference were Rockland County Legislature Chairwoman Harriett Cornell, Legislator Connie Coker, Assemblywoman Ellen Jaffee, Assemblyman Ken Zebrowski, Jr., Rockland District Attorney Thomas Zugibe, Esq., Alex Gromack, Supervisor for the Town of Clarkstown and Tina Stanford, Chairwoman, NYS Crime Victims Board. When addressing the assembled group, Ms. Stanford noted, “Only ten percent of rapes are ever reported to the police. It is my hope that by supporting and highlighting the collaborative partnership among Nyack hospital and the Rockland Family Shelter, we will empower sexual assault victims to come forward with the knowledge that they will be treated with dignity, compassion and respect during an extremely difficult and traumatic time.”
Carolyn Fish, Executive Director of the Rockland Family Shelter remarked, “Ending sexual assault means creating a community collaboration between all sectors of our community because we all have a role to play in ending violence”
Nyack Hospital is a 375-bed community acute care medical and surgical hospital located in Rockland County, NY. Founded in 1895, it is a member of the NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare System. For additional information, please visit our web site at www.nyackhospital.org. For more information on the sexual assault forensic examiner program contact Rockland Family Shelter at www.rocklandfamilyshelter.org.
