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Implementing SANE Programs in Rural Communities: The West Virginia Regional Mobile SANE Projectsubnavigation
Publication Date:  June 2008
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A SANE Program for Rural West Virginia
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Office of Justice Programs Seal   Office for Victims of Crime, Putting Victims First

A SANE Program for Rural West Virginia

Rural SANE Programs—Few and Far Between

Despite the benefits they offer, SANE programs have not been added in rural areas as broadly as they have in or near metropolitan areas.10 It can be extremely difficult to recruit enough nurses in these often sparsely populated communities to staff a program 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (24/7). Although one or two nurses in the area may be trained SANEs, they alone cannot cover a 24/7 on-call schedule on a continuous basis. Moreover, hospital administrators find it hard to justify the costs of a 24/7 SANE program if few sexual assault victims are seen at their facilities. In addition, when so few sexual assault cases are encountered in an isolated county, SANEs may be unable to maintain sufficient skill in examining victims.11