Resources for Healthcare Professionals
Healthcare professionals play a critical role in responding to sexual violence. Providing care to patients who have experienced sexual violence requires an understanding of trauma-informed, patient-centered approaches, in addition to applicable legal and professional responsibilities. To support Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs), physicians, physician assistants, nurses, healthcare administrators, and other healthcare professionals, the Sexual Assault Survivors’ Task Force (SASTF) has compiled the following resources and training opportunities.
Mandated Forensic Evidence Collection Training for Physicians and Physician Assistants
The 89th Texas Legislature passed House Bill 47, SASTF’s Omnibus Bill, requiring emergency room physicians and physician assistants (PAs) to complete at least two hours of continuing medical education relating to forensic evidence collection. The purpose of this training is to equip physicians and PAs who may encounter sexual assault survivors and conduct Sexual Assault Forensic Exams (SAFEs) with the skills to provide proper trauma-informed care and maintain the integrity of evidence collected.
HB 47 dictates that this training must provide instruction on the provision of trauma-informed care to sexual assault survivors, appropriate community referrals and prophylactic medications, the rights of a sexual assault survivor, forensic evidence collection methods, and applicable state law pertaining to the custody, transfer, and tracking of forensic evidence. The requirement will begin for physicians and PAs whose licenses expire on February 28, 2027.
For more information on the mandated forensic evidence collection training, please visit the following Texas Medical Board webpages and scroll to the Forensic Evidence Sections.
Continuing Education Requirements for Physicians
Continuing Education Requirements for Physician Assistants
Additional Resources
Texas A&M Health Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing
The Texas A&M Health Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing advances forensic nursing practice across Texas through education, training, research, and the development of resources that support health care professionals and multidisciplinary partners in providing high-quality, trauma-informed care.
- Texas Evidence Collection Protocol - Overseen by the Texas A&M Health Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing in conjunction with the Office of the Attorney General, the Texas Evidence Collection Protocol offers guidance for health care professionals in Texas providing medical forensic assessments of persons who present with concern for, or history of, sexual victimization, or for assessment of those who are suspected of committing sexual offenses.
- Texas Sexual Assault Medical Forensic & Advocacy Services Map - This map allows users to view the locations of all Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Programs, Children's Advocacy Centers and Rape Crisis Centers in the State of Texas on a county-by-county basis
- Texas Teleforensic Remote Assistance Center (Tex-TRAC) - Tex-TRAC is a statewide SANE telehealth program established to support rural and underserved communities in Texas. Nurses at partnering hospitals conducting sexual assault examinations have 24-hour access to experienced forensic nurses who provide remote support and guidance throughout the examination. Through secure video-teleconferencing technology, Tex-TRAC supports a team-based approach to high-quality, trauma-informed, patient-centered care.
- Coaching for Quality Program - The Coaching for Quality Program, operated through funding from the Office of the Governor, seeks to improve sexual assault care across Texas. The program, based on a framework developed by SASTF’s SANE/Forensic Expert Working Group, seeks to create sustainable programs with high-quality, trauma-informed, survivor-centered care. The Coaching for Quality Program has created a Document Repository containing useful resources for Sexual Assault Forensic Nursing Programs.
Office of the Texas Attorney General
The Office of the Attorney General (OAG) oversees several programs and resources supporting the provision of services to sexual assault survivors in Texas, including Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) certification, sexual assault exam reimbursement, and reimbursement for eligible crime-related expenses.
- Sexual Assault Prevention and Crisis Services (SAPCS) - This program focuses on standardizing and enhancing the quality of services provided to sexual assault survivors across Texas. SAPCS oversees Texas' SANE certification program and provides resources relevant to healthcare professionals, including the Texas Evidence Collection Protocol.
- Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Certification - The OAG manages Texas’ SANE Certification Program for registered nurses who have met established training and clinical experience standards in sexual assault forensic nursing. The OAG issues Adult/Adolescent, Pediatric, and combined Adult/Adolescent-Pediatric SANE certifications.
- Sexual Assault Exam Reimbursement - The OAG, through the Crime Victims Compensation (CVC) Program, reimburses medical providers for eligible forensic costs associated with sexual assault examinations. This page provides information on covered costs, reimbursement procedures, required documentation, and billing requirements for medical care provided during a sexual assault examination.
- Crime Victims Compensation (CVC) Program - The CVC Program provides financial assistance to eligible victims of violent crime and their families for certain crime-related expenses, including medical care, counseling, lost wages, and other eligible costs. This page provides information on eligibility, covered costs, the application process, and other aspects of the CVC Program.
- Emergency Medical Care (EMC) Compensation - EMC compensation covers the costs of medical care provided during a sexual assault exam when a survivor chooses not to report the assault to law enforcement. EMC may cover medical treatment and medications prescribed during the exam, EMS transportation to the hospital, and certain prescribed continuing medical care related to the sexual assault during the 30-day period following the exam. This page provides information on eligibility, covered costs, and the application process.
- Help Deciding: EMC vs CVC - This resource helps sexual assault survivors and assisting professionals determine whether EMC Compensation or CVC reimbursement is the more appropriate application based on the survivor’s circumstances, reporting status, and the types of expenses for which assistance is being sought.
Texas Department of Public Safety
The Texas Department of Public Safety (DPS) Crime Laboratory Division oversees statewide forensic laboratory services and programs related to the collection, tracking, analysis, and storage of sexual assault evidence in Texas.
- Sexual Assault Evidence Programs - This page provides information on Texas’ three sexual assault evidence collection options: Reporting, Non-Reporting, and Limited Consent, along with additional DPS programs and resources related to the handling and tracking of sexual assault evidence.
- Sexual Assault Evidence Tracking Program (Track-Kit) - Track-Kit is Texas’ statewide electronic system for tracking the status and location of sexual assault evidence kits. The system allows medical facilities and other entities involved in the handling of sexual assault evidence kits to update and track evidence, while allowing survivors to anonymously track or receive updates on the status of their kits.
- Statewide CODIS DNA Database - The Combined DNA Index System (CODIS) is a national database that facilitates the comparison and exchange of DNA profiles between forensic laboratories. DPS' CODIS Program administers CODIS within Texas, maintaining the state DNA database and facilitating the comparison of eligible DNA profiles to aid in criminal investigations.
Texas Association Against Sexual Assault
The Texas Association Against Sexual Assault (TAASA ) is Texas’ statewide sexual assault coalition composed of survivors, advocates, rape crisis centers and allied professionals. TAASA provides resources and support to multidisciplinary professionals serving sexual assault survivors in Texas.
- 3 Options for Sexual Assault Reporting in Texas - This document provides a side-by-side comparison of Texas’ Reporting, Non-Reporting, and Limited Consent reporting options in relation to sexual assault forensic exams, including eligibility, evidence testing and storage, reporting requirements, kit tracking information, and access to support services.
- Sexual Assault Exams and Accompaniment: Legal, Medical, and Programmatic Considerations - This guidance document, developed jointly by TAASA and the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Texas in 2022, provides healthcare professionals and other multidisciplinary partners with information on survivor rights, legal considerations, and the role of advocates providing medical accompaniment during sexual assault examinations.
Other Resources
Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC): Information for Survivors of Sexual Assault
Maintained by HHSC, the information sheets provide sexual assault survivors with information on their rights and options related to medical care, forensic examinations, reporting, evidence collection and storage, advocacy, and other available services and resources. Per Texas Health & Safety Code, Sections 323.005 and 323.0051, SAFE-Ready Facilities and non-SAFE-Ready Facilities are required to provide survivors of sexual assault with this information sheet. Additionally, HHSC maintains a spreadsheet of all health care facilities that have self-reported as being SAFE-Ready.
Texas Coalition of Forensic Nurses (TCFN)
TCFN is a statewide professional organization supporting forensic nurses in Texas through advocacy, education, and community. TCFN provides opportunities for professional connection and collaboration, including a members-only online community of practice and educational events.
Forensic Assessment Center Network (FACN)
FACN is a joint project of the Texas Department of Family and Protective Services (DFPS) and UTHealth Houston that provides DFPS staff with access to physician consultation on suspected child and adult maltreatment and exploitation cases. FACN physicians provide case consultation, written recommendations, and education on the medical aspects of maltreatment and exploitation.
This handbook provides consensus-based recommendations for the evaluation and care of patients following sexual assault or sexual abuse. The resource addresses clinical evaluation and treatment, forensic evidence collection and documentation, patient-centered care, and coordination with law enforcement, advocates, and other community partners.
This interactive training guides healthcare professionals through each step of a person-centered sexual assault medical forensic examination. Through virtual patient simulations and interactive exercises, participants develop skills in medical forensic history-taking, physical examination, evidence collection, documentation, and courtroom testimony.