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Crisis services group tells Quartzsite council county lacks SANE capacity; agency seeks support
Summary
Colorado River Regional Crisis Services told the Quartzsite council it provides a 17‑bed emergency shelter, transitional housing and a 24‑hour hotline, and that La Paz County currently lacks a local SANE exam facility or trained SANE nurses — a gap the agency is pursuing via grants and training.
Lillian Perez, community outreach educator for Colorado River Regional Crisis Services (CRRCS), told the Quartzsite Town Council on June 9 that the agency provides shelter and crisis services across La Paz County but that survivors lack convenient access to SANE (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) exams locally.
"My name is Lillian Perez, and I'm the community outreach educator with the Colorado River Regional Crisis Services," Perez said. She outlined CRRCS programs: a 17‑bed emergency shelter, a four‑unit transitional housing complex in Harper, capacity‑coaching (a survivor‑centered case management approach), legal advocacy, a 24‑hour crisis hotline and outreach and education in schools.
Perez emphasized a specific operational gap: "Within La Paz County, we do not have a SANE exam facility or SANE nurse," she said, noting that survivors frequently must be transported to Lake Havasu, Yuma, Kingman or Phoenix for exams. She explained that evidence collection is most effective within the first 72 hours of an incident and that the added travel time can impede access to that care. The agency also supports pet admission to its shelter programs to remove a barrier for survivors who would otherwise hesitate to seek safety.
CRRCS told the council it is pursuing grant opportunities to establish local SANE capacity and to send nurses for training, and Perez invited council members to contact the agency for pamphlets and outreach materials.
Council members thanked Perez and acknowledged the agency’s work; the council did not take formal action but agreed to consider ways to support outreach and referrals. Perez left printed materials and contact information for residents seeking services.
