Guide to Establishing an On-Call Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program

December 1, 2020

MEMORANDUM

The Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Services Implementation Task Force recently released its Guide to Establishing an On-Call Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program.  The guide provides hospitals with important information and options to weigh when considering whether to start an on-call sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) program and what type of employment model would work best at their facility.

Implementation of the guide is not required by hospitals.  It is intended to help facilitate the development of on-call systems of qualified medical providers, and assist hospitals with the development of plans to employ or contract with a qualified medical provider, who, beginning January 1, 2022, must be available to initiate medical forensic services to a sexual assault survivor within 90 minutes of the patient presenting to a hospital, as required by the Sexual Assault Survivor Emergency Treatment Act (SASETA).

The complete Guide can be found on the Illinois Attorney General’s website.  Notably, the guide provides an overview of SANE staffing options; examples of budget considerations and personnel expenses typically associated with a SANE program; information on recommended SANE equipment and resources; and an outline of the role and duties of SANE Coordinators, SANEs, Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners (SAFEs) and Medical Directors as related to SASETA.

Please email sane@atg.state.il.us to receive Word or Excel versions of any of the documents contained in this Guide.

If you have any questions regarding the Guide to Establishing an On-call Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program or SASETA, please contact IHA.