Sexual Assault Victim Emergency Services

The Department of Health (DOH) published final-form sexual assault victim emergency services regulations January 26, 2008 and amended 28 Pa. Code Part IV, Subpart B (relating to general and special hospitals) to add specific requirements for hospitals relating to the provision of sexual assault emergency services.

Hospitals that decide they may not provide emergency contraception due to a stated religious or moral belief contrary to providing this medication are required to give notice to the DOH of the decision. Hospitals that refer all emergency patients to other hospitals after institution of essential life-saving measures and decide not to provide any sexual assault emergency services are required to give notice to the DOH of the decision, and the DOH must annually publish the lists of hospitals in the Pennsylvania Bulletin that have chosen not to provide emergency contraception under 28 Pa. Code § 117.57 or any sexual assault emergency services under 28 Pa. Code § 117.58. The following lists were published on Saturday, February 23, 2019 in accordance with those provisions and do not create any new obligations for hospitals or relieve hospitals of any existing obligations.

The following list of hospitals have provided notice to the DOH that the hospital may not provide emergency contraception due to a stated religious or moral belief:

The following list of hospitals have provided notice to the DOH that the hospital may not provide any sexual assault emergency services due to the limited services provided by the hospital:

Additional information regarding the sexual assault victim emergency services regulations and emergency contraception, and an up-to-date list of hospitals not providing emergency contraception under 28 Pa. Code § 117.57 or not providing any sexual assault emergency services under 28 Pa. Code § 117.58, is available on the Department’s website.