I am very excited to be working with Dr. Rebecca Campbell and her colleagues at Michigan State University on a new research grant that will assist SANE programs in evaluating their impact on criminal justice outcomes. SANE programs who would like to participate in this project are encouraged to apply. You can find all of the details here.

I hope many of you will consider applying. It's going to be a fantastic opportunity, and it's not limited to nurse-managed SANE programs. Applications are being accepted now through the end of April. Feel free to contact me if you have questions.

MNCASA is offering a webinar March 22nd, 12pm CT on protocol development and renewing interagency agreements. This should be an excellent session, addressing two issues we see frequently in the sustainability TA project. This webinar will describe the process of writing or adapting protocols, renewing interagency agreements, and training on protocol. It will also share examples from existing teams, provide resources and discuss creative strategies for overcoming pitfalls common to the protocol development process. 

Participation is free, but registration is required.

Over at the FHO site, I've posted some information on a forensic compliance self-assessment from EVAW. EVAW is the technical assistance provider on this issue, and they've put out some great information on their site. If you have questions about your own program's compliance, definitely check it out.

 I am so excited that there's a new blog here at NSVRC, the Engaged Bystander blog. Join guest blogger, Joan Tabachnick, author of the NSVRC publication, Engaging Bystanders in Sexual Violence Prevention, to explore the powerful ways that we can all choose to do something or say something to prevent sexual violence.  Share your ideas. 

You can also check out the Bystander Intervention Online Resources. This Special Collection includes background information and research on bystander intervention strategies, online learning tools and information about campaigns and programs focused on engaging bystanders.

Enter the Blog.

I am dashing off to the airport to catch a flight to Philadelphia, so I have only a moment for a quick post. But I wanted to point yor attention to this great piece on having difficult conversations. It makes me think about the kinds of conflict that sometimes flair up when we work collaboratively as part of a SART or MDT. It seems like a lot of the tension that arises in those circumstances can feel very personal, in part, I think, because many people carry around this notion that a well-functioning team won't disagree. And that's a problem, since we all have different priorities depending on our discipline; conflict is not only inevitable, but also, appropriate (as long as we can manage it in a healthy and respectful way).

Anyway, as someone who can be a bit of a reactor, I found the post to offer some spot-on suggestions for managing unexpected angry confrontation. See if it strikes a chord for you...

[Peter Bregman, The Martial Art of Difficult Conversation]

I am thrilled to announce the availability of two new publications from the SANE Sustainability TA project: Creating a Business Plan for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, and Fostering Collaboration Between SANE Program Coordinators and Medical Directors.

These are bulletins 2 & 3 in the Sustainability 101 series. You can also download the 1st bulletin, Long-Range Thinking for SANE Program Managers.

NIJ has video available of Dr. Rebecca Campbell speaking at one of their symposiums on her research regarding SANE programs and their impact on the criminal justice system.

This discussion is broken up into four segments:

1. A background of SANE programs and how they affect prosecution of sexual assault.
2. A description of Dr. Campbell's research on SANE programs and whether they increase prosecution rates of sexual assault.
3. Interviews with law enforcement officers, judges and sexual assault survivors about their experiences with these programs.
4. Information on a toolkit that Dr. Campbell developed for SANE program practitioners.

It should be noted that Dr. Cambell and her colleague Dr. Debra Patterson are the evaluators for the sustainability project, as well.

You can watch the videos here.

I am pleased to announce that the reports from Dr. Rebecca Campbell and colleagues on the criminal justice impact of SANE programs are now available online. You can read the full report here (or read the summary here). There's also a a step-by-step toolkit for evaluating the work of SANEs in the criminal justice system you can view here.

Fantastic.

I'm so excited to announce that the website for AEquitas is now live. For those of you unfamiliar with this new project:
 

AEquitas: The Prosecutors' Resource on Violence Against Women was created through funding from the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). It is a partnership between OVW, the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR), and the Battered Women's Justice Project (BWJP). AEquitas is a new technical assistance and training provider created to address the needs of prosecutors and allied professionals - particularly OVW grantees - who work on issues related to the prosecution of violence against women.

AEquitas' mission is to improve the quality of justice in sexual assault, domestic violence, stalking, and dating violence cases by developing, evaluating, and refining prosecution practices that increase victim safety and offender accountability. Named after the Roman goddess of equity and fairness, AEquitas challenges prosecutors to reexamine their approach to justice in cases involving violence against women. The complex and unique dynamics of these crimes against women demand a refined and nuanced response by prosecutors and a broader concept of what constitutes justice in these cases. In addition to offender accountability, the best possible outcomes must include consideration of the victim's history, experience, and perspective; the impact of the criminal justice process on the victim, and, where relevant, her children and family; and the impact on the victim's workplace and community.

The creation of AEquitas continues OVW's long-standing tradition of fostering collaboration between victim advocacy and criminal justice organizations. AEquitas' association with PCAR, BWJP, and other local, state, and national partners assists in the promotion of a comprehensive multi-disciplinary response to the crimes of violence against women.

AEquitas hosts several national training events, including: the National Institute on the Prosecution of Domestic Violence; the National Institute on the Prosecution of Sexual Violence; the Prosecution of Sexual Assault in P.L. 280 Jurisdictions; and the Prosecution of Domestic Violence Homicide Cases. AEquitas staff, which includes a medical expert, support prosecutors and allied professionals by conducting legal research; providing 24/7 case consultation; hosting condensed or state-specific training events and webinars; providing individual experts to jurisdictions and organizations; and publishing articles, monographs, and other resources on topics relevant to the prosecution of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

I hope you'll find this project to be a fantastic resource--please share the information with community partners, as well. You can read more about staff contact info and sign up for email alerts on the AEquitas website.

Fieldstone Alliance just released their latest (and last) chart in a recent series on cushioning yourself against the economic downturn. They describe the chart as a review of engagement strategies, but in simpler terms, its a look at how programs can work with their communities, the agencies within their communities, as well as with each other, to get through the tough times.

As with everything Fieldstone puts out, it's written for nonprofits in general, so some of what's there may not apply as written. But if you look at the chart, I think you'll see there are some suggestions that could be adapted to suit our purposes. For instance, I really liked #5 in the Engage Other Nonprofits section: "consider a joint marketing campaign". At 1st glance, this seems out of the grasp for many of us, because we don't have budgets for marketing campaigns. But upon closer analysis, there's a kernel of applicability--is it possible for us to pool resources with other programs in our regions to highlight the different SANE programs patients can access depending on their location? Or can a nonprofit healthcare system spanning multiple counties (or states) create a single brochure  outlining the locations of the various SANE programs within its hospitals to help create awareness and underscore its commitment to the communities the system serves? Certainly this would be more cost effective than each program creating its own materials, and it would have the added benefit of providing a consistent message to patients about the services available.

Take a look at the chart for yourself--its full of great links to other Fieldstone tools (like this one on effective communication). And if you have some innovative ideas about engagement and collaboration, please let us know.

Are you a nurse running a SANE program? If you're interested in being featured in our Coordinator Q&A segment that runs each Friday, please contact me: jenifer.markowitz@gmail.com.