The Task Force on Services for Survivors of Sexual Assault (Task Force) was created by Chapter 725 of the 2020 Acts of Assembly to assist in the implementation of the treatment and transfer requirements placed on hospitals and pediatric health care facilities for adult and pediatric survivors of sexual assault. The primary responsibilities of this 18-member Task Force is to develop model documents, plans, and processes for these facilities to use, to educate these facilities on their obligations in treating or transferring survivors of sexual assault, and to increase the use of telemedicine in providing services to survivors of sexual assault.

Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, appointments to the Task Force have progressed at a slower rate and as of December 1, 2020, there was not a sufficient number of appointees to the Task Force to constitute a quorum. While appointments were proceeding, the State Board of Health has initiated a standard regulatory action to promulgate a new regulatory chapter that will detail the requirements hospitals and pediatric health care facilities must meet to satisfy the provisions of Article 8 (§ 32.1-162.15:2 et seq.) of Chapter 5 of Title 32.1 of the Code of Virginia. The first stage of this standard regulatory action has been published and a public comment period held, during which no public comments were received. The second stage of this standard regulatory action is in progress.