Sexual assault can be one of the most traumatic experiences imaginable. Survivors of sexual
assault can experience both physical and emotional trauma and might not know where to go to
seek help.
Fortunately, for survivors, the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) progam is extending care
to East Central Indiana. The SANE program was made possible by a $325,000 grant from the
Indiana State Department of Health’s Office of Women’s Health.
Henry Community Health has partnered with Hancock Health, Rush Memorial Hospital and the
prosecutors’ offices of Henry and Hancock counties to bring the SANE program to our
communities. The program will be operated by Hancock Health at the Knightstown Health Clinic
on Main Street in Knightstown.
The SANE program offers confidential services 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Along with
treating physical injuries, specially trained nurses and nurse practitioners offer free examinations
that document patients’ stories and preserve legal evidence for law enforcement officials. The
preservation of evidence does not lock survivors into pressing legal charges- it will be safely
stored until the survivor makes the decision whether to press charges.
Henry Community Health’s Chief Nursing Officer Shelley Wilson explained, “We are proud to
collaborate and partner with HRH to provide timely and appropriate care to our patients who are
victims of sexual assualt. This new program reduces barriers to patients as they can now
receive care in their home county and not have to travel elsewhere for necessary exams and
treatment. These patients have already experienced significant trauma and we want to make
access to care as easy as possible for them.”
The SANE program is available at Knightstown Health Care Center, located at 224 West Main
Street in Knightstown, from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and from 8 a.m. to 2
p.m. on Friday. The facility’s phone number is (765) 345-5572. On weekday evenings and
weekends, qualified nurse examiners remain on call and can be accessed through Henry
Community Health’s emergency department.
Before this program came to East Central Indiana, many survivors had to travel an hour or more
for proper medical care after a sexual assault occured. Now, the SANE program provides a
closer and convenient location, one where survivors are heard, cared for, and most importantly-
supported.
