Report

SB1191 is a state law that requires Texas hospitals to 1) be equipped to conduct medical forensic exams for sexual assault patients and 2) provide basic training to all nurses who work in an emergency room on how to conduct the exams. The purpose of this evaluation is to understand the effect that SB1191 had on hospitals and emergency room nurses and determine whether the law had its intended effect of increasing access to medical forensic exams. The project team interviewed representatives from 5 hospitals with SANE programs and 13 without SANE programs in Dallas, Lubbock, and Austin to determine their awareness and compliance with SB1191, to examine challenges faced by ER personnel, and to examine any innovations that have taken place since implementation of SB1191.