PHOENIX (3TV / CBS 5) – More towns in Valley are considering opening centers where crime victims can get services, but facility staffing could be challenging. Sex assault nurse examiners or SANE nurses respond to family counseling centers to conduct sex assault investigations if necessary. As more centers open, caregivers fear that resources will become scarce and that this could affect care. “With multiple locations, I’m afraid the quality of care and time lag will be too great to warrant providing health care in each location,” said Jill Rable, a forensic care manager at Honor Health’s forensic nursing division of only one state training of SANE nurses. It is also the only provider of SANE services in Maricopa County. Working with sexual assault survivors is not for everyone. “Knowing what to say and how to say it and how to be there for them is one of the most important issues,” says Rable. “It’s just a very passionate, different kind of nurse.” Sex assault nurse examiners or SANE nurses respond to family counseling centers to conduct sex assault investigations if necessary. (Source: 3TV / CBS 5) The Rable team is currently responding to six different family counseling centers in Maricopa County. They work on demand and perform their SANE tasks in addition to their regular care jobs. Several other cities are considering setting up family counseling centers to help victims close to where they live, Rable said, but there is a challenge. As nurses travel to more locations, they can take longer to get to the patients who need them. “The patient will be waiting for the nurse,” says Rable. “As you add more nurses, the volume will go down and care will be watered down.” Tempe is one of the cities trying to open a new family counseling center due to open next year. “We worked there for years. The research is solid, the explanation of the need is solid. Our community would benefit greatly from the services, ”said Paul Bentley, associate director of Tempe Human Services. A family advocacy center has been on the city’s wish list for years, and funding was approved last month to make the proposed facility a reality. “It would house multiple workgroups from our Care 7 area, the Tempe Police Department and the Arizona State University Police Department,” says Bentley. “We are reviewing a facility that is approximately 10,000 square feet to make sure we have all the necessary components.” Bentley says the city intends to have a SANE nurse on call 24 hours a day Available. The details of this rule are still being worked out. “We believe we have a plan of action to meet this need,” says Bentley. Hiring more SANE nurses is not the solution to increasing the coverage of a growing number of advocacy centers. While many SANE nurses only perform a handful of exams each year, Rable’s team conducts sexual assault exams on a regular basis. This repetition, says Rable, ensures sharp skills and high standards in the collection of evidence used in criminal cases. “This nurse would have to testify as a witness,” says Rable. “This is really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.” One solution could be regional advocacy centers where multiple police departments share a room and medical suite. That would reduce the number of locations where SANE nurses have to respond. Another idea is to have family counseling centers that offer a wide range of support services but have sexual assault investigations and other medical services in one location. “I don’t want to hinder anyone in order to be cared for,” says Rable. “I think the gaps in care exist and we can work together as community agencies to provide good care to patients in need.” The Arizona family asked the City of Tempe about these options. Bentley said it is possible, under certain circumstances, for sexual assault investigations to take place in other legal centers or medical facilities. Bentley also noted that ASU will have its own space in the advocacy center as it is a partner of the initiative. Copyright 2021 KPHO / KTVK (KPHO Rundfunkgesellschaft). All rights reserved.
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