Project Grant T9653169

ADVANCED NURSING EDUCATION - SEXUAL ASSAULT NURSE EXAMINERS PROGRAM - THE CRIME VICTIMS TREATMENT CENTER (CVTC), A 501(C)(3) NONPROFIT ORGANIZATION BASED IN NEW YORK CITY (NYC), SUBMITS THIS PROPOSAL WITH THE OVERALL GOAL OF INCREASING THE NUMBER OF REGISTERED NURSES (RNS) IN NYC WHO HAVE RECEIVED SPECIALIZED TRAINING AND CERTIFICATION IN - AND ARE THUS PREPARED TO OFFER - TRAUMA-INFORMED FORENSIC EVALUATION AND MEDICAL CARE TO SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT, LEADING TO IMPROVED HEALTH AND LEGAL OUTCOMES FOR SURVIVORS. NYC CURRENTLY HAS 20 SEXUAL ASSAULT FORENSIC EXAMINER (SAFE)-DESIGNATED HOSPITALS TO SERVE A POPULATION OF OVER EIGHT MILLION INHABITANTS AS WELL AS TENS OF MILLIONS OF VISITORS EACH YEAR. THESE HOSPITALS ARE RESPONSIBLE FOR SUPPORTING THE FORENSIC AND MEDICAL NEEDS OF SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL AND DOMESTIC VIOLENCE WHO ENTER THE EMERGENCY DEPARTMENT (ED) FOR CARE, AND THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR THIS CARE FALLS PRIMARILY ON THE FORENSIC NURSE. AT THE SAME TIME, WE KNOW THAT SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT WHO CHOOSE TO SEEK MEDICAL CARE ARE OFTEN NOT AWARE OF WHICH HOSPITALS HAVE RECEIVED SAFE DESIGNATION, OR MAY BE UNCOMFORTABLE/UNABLE TO TRAVEL TO A FACILITY THAT HAS SUCH DESIGNATION. UNFORTUNATELY, MANY SURVIVORS NEVER SEEK MEDICAL OR FORENSIC CARE, DUE TO FACTORS THAT INCLUDE LACK OF INFORMATION, FEAR OF NOT BEING BELIEVED, FEAR OR RETRIBUTION, AMONG MANY OTHERS. FOR THOSE WHO DO MANAGE TO SEEK CARE, MOST PRESENT AT WHATEVER MEDICAL CENTER IS CLOSEST AND/OR WITH WHICH THEY ARE MOST FAMILIAR, UNDERSCORING THE NEED FOR HEALTHCARE PROVIDERS WITH SEXUAL ASSAULT FORENSIC KNOWLEDGE AND TRAINING WORKING ACROSS THE NYC HEALTHCARE LANDSCAPE. TO ACCOMPLISH OUR GOALS OF INCREASING THE NUMBER OF RNS TRAINED AS SAFE/SANES ACROSS NYC, IMPROVING THE SKILLS AND CONFIDENCE OF TRAINED SAFE/SANES THROUGH ONGOING TRAINING AND SUPPORT, AND IMPROVING TREATMENT, CARE AND OUTCOMES FOR SURVIVORS OF SEXUAL ASSAULT ACROSS NYC, CVTC WILL DRAW ON OUR 40+ YEARS AS A HIGHLY RESPECTED COMPREHENSIVE VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDER IN NYC; OUR LONGSTAN DING PARTNERSHIPS WITH HOSPITAL EDS ACROSS NYC'S MOST UNDERSERVED COMMUNITIES, AS WELL AS DOZENS OF VICTIM SERVICE PROVIDERS, LAW ENFORCEMENT AND OTHER HEALTHCARE PROFESSIONALS; AND OUR EXPERIENCE AND EXPERTISE IN TRAINING AND SUPPORTING FORENSIC EXAMINERS SINCE 1997, WHEN WE BECAME NYC'S FIRST PROVIDER OF SEXUAL ASSAULT FORENSIC EXAMINATIONS (SAFE).