Section 7661.3 - Domestic violence health care response program(a) Establishment of program.--There is established within the Department of Public Welfare the Domestic Violence Health Care Response Program.(b) Purpose of programs.--The purpose of the program shall be to support the development of domestic violence medical advocacy projects in this Commonwealth which would assist in the implementation of domestic violence policies and procedures as well as provide training for health care workers to improve hospital, health center and clinic response to domestic violence victims seeking medical treatment.(c) Medical advocacy project sites.--The department shall select medical advocacy project sites with representation from urban, rural and suburban areas. To ensure the effectiveness of the program, the project sites shall not be publicized.(d) Annual report.--Utilizing information provided under subsection (e)(5), the department shall compile an annual report to be submitted to the chairman and minority chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the Senate and the chairman and minority chairman of the Appropriations Committee of the House of Representatives providing oversight of the Department of Public Welfare.(e) Program elements.--Each domestic violence medical advocacy project shall:(1) Demonstrate active collaboration between a local community-based domestic violence program and the hospital, health center or clinic participating in the project.(2) Develop and implement uniform multidisciplinary domestic violence policies and procedures which incorporate the roles and responsibilities of all staff who provide services or interact with victims of domestic violence, including the identification of victims of domestic violence through universal screening.(3) Develop and implement a multidisciplinary, comprehensive and ongoing domestic violence education and training program for hospital, health center or clinic personnel adapted to the particular hospital's, health center's or clinic's demographics, policies, staffing patterns and resources. The training program shall include, but is not limited to, identifying characteristics of domestic violence, screening patients for domestic violence, appropriately documenting in the medical record and offering referral services, including domestic violence resources available in the community.(4) Provide available educational materials to inform victims of domestic violence about the services and assistance available through the domestic violence program.(5) Develop formal project assessment procedures, including, but not limited to, coordinating and collecting data for the evaluation of the projects and their effectiveness in reducing the incidence of domestic violence and overall health care costs, including emergency room costs.1998, Dec. 3, P.L. 925, No. 115, § 3, effective 7/1/1999.