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County expands strangulation forensic exams and advocates warn proposed cuts would strain 24‑hour survivor services
Summary
District Attorney and medical partners described a countywide protocol for forensic strangulation exams and said exam utilization increased in 2026; community advocates urged the county to avert proposed funding cuts that would weaken 24‑hour advocacy and response capacity.
District Attorney family‑violence staff and medical partners described a coordinated county protocol to provide forensic examinations and follow‑up care to survivors of nonfatal strangulation and intimate partner violence.
The DA's office said the program arranges free transportation and forensic exams and pairs victims with advocacy and follow‑up care to document injuries that are often invisible but can predict future lethality. A nurse manager said exam utilization declined in 2025 but rose again in 2026. “Victims are getting crucial medical care...we have a medical report of what the injuries are to evaluate and present in court,” a presenter said.
Community advocates from organizations including Community Solutions told supervisors that in‑person advocacy and a 24‑hour response are lifesaving and that recent referral volumes in South County have increased. Pearl Re Flores and other speakers said providers served dozens of survivors this year and that proposed departmental funding reductions would undermine 24‑hour capacity. One advocate said providers estimate the safety net can absorb a 10% reduction but not the 19% cuts currently proposed, and asked supervisors to preserve funding levels to maintain emergency housing, advocacy and long‑term support.
Supervisors voted to receive the report and asked that future presentations include joint analysis by Public Health or a new violence‑prevention office to help target services and prevention strategies.
