Using Telehealth to Improve Care, Access, and Quality of Sexual Assault Forensic Exams

National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) Response Center
800.851.3420
grants@ncjrs.gov
Fax: 301.240.5830
TTY for hearing impaired: 301.240.6310

The U.S. Department of Justice provides grants to enhance the care for sexual assault victims, improve access and quality of forensic examinations, and expand access to the expertise of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANE) through telehealth technology for communities with limited access to trained SANEs.

The program has 2 purpose areas.

• Purpose Area 1: State/Tribal/Regional Demonstration Sites - Increase the number of highly trained, experienced SANEs and other medical forensic examiners and provide high-quality care for victims of sexual assault. Underserved areas/populations can include rural, tribal, and any other areas in need of SANE services and accompanying victim advocacy.
  • Improve availability of expertise by establishing a support network of highly trained, experienced SANEs to provide 24/7 support and guidance to medical providers who do not have SANE training to increase their confidence, competence, and retention
  • Establish or expand the use of telehealth for delivery of high-quality care and sexual assault forensic exams for adolescent and adult victims of sexual assault
  • Ensure that more sexual assault victims receive patient-centered and trauma-informed care during the exam process by incorporating the Quality-Caring Model
  • Ensure that sexual assault victims have access to a support person during the exam process
  • Deliver ongoing sexual assault forensic examination support, education, and training to medical providers with limited access to these resources
• Purpose Area 2: Technical Assistance Provider - Will be used to select one applicant to provide technical assistance (TA) to the Purpose Area 1 sites during the planning and implementation of a telehealth program
  • Provide TA to proactively support sites, which may include rural, and/or tribal communities, in building a strong comprehensive network of stakeholders who, through multidisciplinary partnerships and outcome-driven strategies, implement a victim-centered approach to provide compassionate care to sexual assault victims through telehealth technology
  • Provide diverse technical and subject matter support, in consultation with OVC, to improve the jurisdiction's response to sexual assault, including identifying and meeting needs; developing and implementing policies and practices across systems; and applying evidence-based approaches
  • Facilitate ongoing peer-to-peer consultation, learning, and networking among selected sites and their partners within a given state/region or tribe, to promote problem-solving and innovation through the exchange of information, lessons learned, and new ideas
  • Strategically identify and capture relevant information and lessons learned throughout the project and then share the information and lessons with the public using multiple modes of communication so that the larger field can benefit from this project
  • Assist OVC and the sites in connecting this project with other relevant federal, state level, or private projects and foundations to ensure existing efforts are leveraged to maximize investments and outcomes and plan for effective sustainability

Purpose Area 1: State/Tribal/Regional Demonstration Sites

• State health departments
• Nonprofit organizations
• For-profit organizations
• Institutions of higher education
• Accredited schools of nursing
• Academic health centers
• Public, private, and nonprofit hospitals
• Federally recognized tribal governments

Purpose Area 2: Technical Assistance Provider
- State agencies, public agencies, federally recognized tribal governments, nonprofit and for-profit organizations, and institutions of higher education that have:

• Demonstrated experience and understanding of telehealth technology, sexual assault victimization, and the needs of sexual assault victims
• The ability to forge partnerships to meet the wide range of assistance that victims need
• The staff resources and capacity to provide technical assistance support to awarded Purpose Area 1 organizations and their stakeholders to successfully implement the project

Purpose Area 1: State/Tribal/Regional Demonstration Sites

• Award ceiling: $4,000,000
• Project period: 3 years
• Estimated number of awards: 3, but additional applications to serve tribal populations may be selected for funding
• Estimated total program funding: $12,000,000

Purpose Area 2: Technical Assistance Project

• Award ceiling: $2,000,000
• Project period: 3 years
• Estimated number of awards: 1

Links to the full announcement, application instructions, and the online application process are available through grants.gov.