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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Jo Stearns, PA-C, Recognized for Developing State-wide Protocols

Contact: Sarah Hay
800.476.1504
hays@cep.com

(May 2006, Emeryville, California)---Jo Stearns, PA-C at DeKalb Medical Center, received a Certificate of Appreciation from the DeKalb Rape Crisis Center (DRCC) for her extraordinary efforts in developing rape exam protocols.

According to its 2005 Annual Report, the DRCC created the written protocols to outline DeKalb’s official response to reports of sexual assault. As Stephen Holbrook, MD, Medical Director of Emergency Services at DeKalb Medical Center explains, Stearns has been instrumental in designing the medical evaluation guidelines, which have become the model for the entire state of Georgia.

Stearns has worked with the DRCC for 15 years, volunteering her skills as an expert witness, as well as training more than 800 volunteer crisis advocates, physicians, and nurses. She has also lectured extensively to medical and legal professionals throughout the country.

Stearns received the award during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week, April 23 – 28. DRCC Board Members, Bob Wilson and Mark Dahler, honored her contributions at a DeKalb leadership event.

“Jo Stearns has done more than anyone to build the bridge between the DeKalb Rape Crisis Center, victims, and this hospital,” said Mr. Wilson, who is also a member of the DeKalb Medical Center board. “She does it because her heart tells her to do it. The Rape Crisis Center succeeds to a level we never dreamed it could because of her work.”

Stearns insists she couldn’t have made these advances alone. “Over the years, we have developed a dedicated multidisciplinary team that provides comprehensive care to the survivors of sexual assault,” said Stearns. “We have made great strides toward improving the care that survivors receive, yet realize there is still much work to be done, not only in supporting these victims, but also in public education and prevention of sexual assault. I appreciate the support and devotion of my team members, as well as the support that DeKalb Medical Center has given to us.”

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DeKalb Emergency Physicians Medical Group (DEP) is an affiliate of California Emergency Physicians Medical Group (CEP). CEP was founded in 1975 and is a premier provider of physician staffing, management, and consulting services for 56 Emergency Department and Ambulatory Care Practices in California, Oregon, Georgia, and Arizona, caring for over 2,500,000 patients annually. For more information on CEP, visit their website at www.cep.com.