The St. Tammany Parish Coroner’s Office and the Jefferson Parish Coroner’s Office have entered into a Cooperative Endeavor Agreement regarding Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners services for survivors of sexual assault in St. Tammany Parish. Dr. Christopher Tape stated that the STPCO SANE program operated at a significant financial loss. JPCO has offered to combine resources with STPCO to ensure that these vitally important investigations are continued.Starting on May 20, JPCO will provide SANE services to sexual assault victims in St. Tammany Parish.JPCO’s on-call team will add former STPCO SANE nurses to its staff and will provide SANE services to survivors of sexual assault in both communities without difficulty. The advocacy services that are currently provided to victims will continue. This CEA will reduce costs for both JPCO and STPCO.JPCO has also offered similar assistance to the other Region 9 parishes that were previously serviced by STPCO under the Region 9 Sexual Assault Plan. CEAs have also been signed and will take effect beginning May 20. “From the beginning, I have wanted the SANE program to continue, but my obligation to the taxpayers of St. Tammany Parish has also been paramount,” Tape said. “I’m very pleased with the execution of the CEA for St. Tammany and the other Region 9 Parishes and am committed to doing our part while responsibly overseeing the funds with which taxpayers entrust my office.”