Director of victim services settles confusion over compensation

ROCK SPRINGS — New information about the forensic medical department at Memorial Hospital of Sweetwater County has emerged after an April 11 Rocket Miner news article was published.

In the previous story, it was reported that the Division of Victim Services will cover sexual assault exams if a survivor reports the crime to law enforcement. Tiffany Uranker, emergency room director, said patients can apply for victims compensation but this is a process of filling out paperwork.

“Other than that, they would have to pay for services,” Uranker said in the previous article.

In response to the article, Wyoming Division of Victim Services Director Cara Chambers reached out to the Rocket Miner to clear up the confusion regarding the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner. The Wyoming DVS is part of the Attorney General’s Office in Cheyenne.

According to Chambers, the Wyoming DVS pays for all SANE exams, whether the sexual assault is reported to law enforcement of not.

“In fact, it is a violation of state and federal law for a victim to be charged for the cost of the SANE exam unless they have consented to having the charges billed to their insurance, or if they agree to pay out of pocket,” Chambers said, referring to Wyoming Statute 6-2-309.

Chambers said she felt the need to reach out to the Rocket Miner because she was afraid that “victims will get the incorrect assumption that they’d have to pay for their exams if they don’t report the sexual assault.”

“That is simply inaccurate and could have a dangerous chilling effect,” she said. “We always want to try to encourage reports to law enforcement, but we understand if they don’t want to. That is the one kind of caveat with sexual assault and that is we will accept the non-reported SANE exam.”

She added the agency can assist people with mental health or anything else that goes along with being the victim of a crime through the Crime Victims Compensation program for crimes that are reported to law enforcement, also administered by the division.

The agency’s website also states the following:

• Victims of sexual assault who wish to obtain a SANE exam — but do not wish to make a law enforcement report — may do so at no cost.
• The SANE Exam will be administered and evidence collected.
• The Hospital/SANE Program will not bill the victim or the victim’s insurance without expressed consent
• The Hospital/SANE Program will submit a de-identified (patient information redacted) invoice to the Division of Victim Services for payment pursuant to Wyo. Stat. 6-2-309.

“We’ve always covered the exams for victims who chose not to report,” Chambers reiterated, noting that there was a misunderstanding regarding billing in the forensic department at MHSC, and the staff is currently receiving training on this.

Based on historic data on non-reporting SANE exams in Wyoming, the number of non-reported SANE exams was 9 in 2024 with a total award amount of $15,026.97 from the Wyoming DVS, with an average of $1,669.66. The number of non-reporting SANE exams were higher six years ago — 23 in 2019; 34 in 2020; 22 in 2021, 14 in 2022; and 14 in 2023.

The numbers fluctuated between 2019 and 2024 for the “Reported to Law Enforcement SANE Exams.” The number of SANE exams reported to law enforcement were 26 in 2024; 73 in 2023; 108 in 2022; 106 in 2021; 48 in 2020; and 33 in 2019.

In an email to the Rocket Miner, Uranker apologized for the incorrect information, saying she and Megan Tozzi, full-time house supervisor/ SANE nurse, “did not know that the division covers the cost of the exams, labs, prescriptions and imaging.”

Despite the misinformation, Chambers expressed faith in the SANE program at MHSC, saying they make a difference in the quality of care provided to survivors of sexual assault.

“Sweetwater Memorial has always had SANE nurses available for victims, and the community should feel safe and confident in seeking help and services through them,” Chambers said. “It is so important for victims to know that there are resources out there to help them after a sexual assault.”

Chambers encourages victims to check out the agency’s website and find their local programs if they need help. https:// dvs.wyo.gov/.

This story was published on April 26, 2025.