Sarah’s Place, the specialized care center that treats sexual assault and domestic violence survivors from Benton County and the surrounding region, is marking 10 years of operation this month.
Housed at Samaritan Albany General Hospital, the center has treated more than 2,346 patients from Benton, Linn, Lincoln and surrounding counties since it opened in August 2016, according to Samaritan Health Services. Patients are seen by Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, known as SANE nurses, who receive specialized training in trauma-informed care and forensic examination.
Before the center opened, Benton County residents seeking this kind of care typically went through a hospital’s general emergency department. Sarah’s Place operates as a separate, private space instead, and SANE nurses are trained to document injuries and collect forensic evidence while letting patients decide how much of that process they want to undergo.
“Our role is about so much more than collecting evidence,” Shelli Dalton, a SANE registered nurse at Samaritan Albany General Hospital, said through a press release. “We want patients to feel safe and know they have choices. We explain what we’re doing, ask for consent and give them the opportunity to decide what they’re comfortable with throughout the exam.”
Samaritan officials said the center’s coordinated approach — working with advocates and law enforcement — also cuts down on how many times a survivor has to repeat their account of what happened.
“A community is measured by how it cares for people in their most vulnerable moments,” Dalton said. “For the past 10 years, Sarah’s Place has shown what compassionate, expert care can look like, and that benefits all of us.”
The program was established through a partnership between Samaritan Health Services, community organizations and donors to the Albany General Hospital Foundation. More information is available at samhealth.org/SarahsPlace.