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Program Summary

PROTOCOL COLLABORATIONS

The Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Program is an initiative with the primary goal to improve the care for victims of sexual assault in Massachusetts through the development of a statewide standardized method of evidence collection and the provision of high-quality, coordinated care within the medical, legal, forensic and advocacy communities. The SANE Program is an initiative of the Governor's Office and is administered by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH). The overarching initiative is to improve the successful prosecution of sex offenders through the quality evidence collection and expert testimony given by the SANEs. In developing and implementing the SANE Program through the SANE Protocol, the DPH SANE Program Director is working with a SANE board  with the input and approval of the following members: The Executive Office of Public Safety, the Massachusetts Hospital Association, the Massachusetts Nurse Association, Emergency Nurses Association, Massachusetts Association  College of Emergency Physicians, Jane Doe, Inc., Rape Crisis Centers, The Governor's Commission on Domestic Violence, Committee of Boston Teaching Hospital, Massachusetts Office of Victims Assistance, National Nurses Association, Sexual Abuse Intervention Network, DPH Sexual Assault Prevention Survivor Services, Boston and Massachusetts State Police Crime Labs, Boston Police Sexual Assault Unit, Emergency Medical Services, State Laboratory - STD Division, MDPH AIDS Bureau, District Attorneys, Criminal Justice and other law enforcement personnel.

SANE MISSION

The key component of SANE Program is the time sensitive, compassionate, coordinated care offered to sexual assault victims by trained registered nurses and physicians who have been trained, certified, and credentialed through the MA Department of Public Health. The SANEs are available on call 24 hours/7 days to designated emergency departments to care for sexual assault victims aged 12 and over. A SANE exam is offered to patients who've been assaulted within 5 days or 120 hours upon entering the ED. The SANE cares exclusively for the sexual assault victim providing cordinated services within the emergency department with hospital personnel, law enforcement, rape crisis centers, and social services. The SANE is then available to provide expert fresh complaint testimony in the prosecution of the sexual assault case.