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TRAINING & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
Every survivor deserves to be met with knowledgeable, compassionate care
The Alliance Against Sexual Violence (The Alliance) equips healthcare professionals, campus communities, survivor-serving organizations, and allies with the training and support they need to respond to sexual violence with confidence, compassion, and cultural responsiveness.
Survivors cared for by Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners are more likely to receive recommended services and resources following sexual assault.
Source: National Library of Medicine
REQUEST A TRAINING
To learn more or request a training, please get in touch with The Alliance.
TRAINING & TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAMS
SAFE-TI trains New York State-licensed healthcare professionals to provide compassionate, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive post-assault medical and forensic care to adults, adolescents, and children. We offer an Adult/Adolescent and a Pediatric/Adolescent Course in addition to ongoing continuing education and seminars to help medical professionals strengthen their practice. Last year, over 200 healthcare professionals completed training through SAFE-TI.
How We Deliver Training for Medical Professionals
Adult/Adolescent Course
Our Adult/Adolescent Course is a 40-hour hybrid program, accredited by the New York State Department of Health and the Emergency Nurses Association, that educates medical professionals on providing trauma-informed care to adults and adolescents who have experienced sexual violence. The course combines learner-paced online modules, four days of in-person lectures, and a Clinical Day at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx, where participants practice pelvic exam skills with a Gynecological Teaching Associate. Successful completion awards a course certificate and 43 contact hours.
Adult/Adolescent Course Eligibility
- Medical professional licensed in New York State
- Currently employed in an NYC hospital in the emergency department OR employed in a hospital with an eligible SAFE Program
- 1 year of post-graduate clinical experience
Pediatric Adolescent Course
Our Pediatric/Adolescent Course is a 40-hour hybrid program, accredited by the Emergency Nurses Association, that trains medical professionals in care for child survivors. The course includes two days of live lectures on Zoom and one in-person day.
Pediatric/Adolescent Course Eligibility
- Medical professional licensed in New York State
- Currently employed in a New York State Hospital emergency department OR employed in a hospital with an eligible SAFE program or pediatric clinic
- 1 year of post-graduate clinical experience
- Completion of the Adult/Adolescent Course OR currently employed in Pediatric Emergency Care
Continuing Education
Our regular continuing education courses and webinars for SAFE Examiners and sexual violence professionals are 90 minutes and delivered online.
Our Mock Trial Skills-Building Course, developed in partnership with the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office and Crime Victims Treatment Center, is an all-day course delivered in person in New York City.
Continuing Education Eligibility
Our 90-minute virtual continuing education opportunities are designed for healthcare professionals, sexual violence response service providers, and administrators. All are welcome to join. CNEs can be available to any nurse who attends the entire seminar.
In-person continuing education opportunities such as the SAFE Mock Trial and Clinical Skills Lab are designed for individuals that have completed a 40 hour Adult/Adolescent course and are currently employed as a forensic examiner. Individuals based in New York City are prioritized, and clinicians outside the catchment area will be confirmed if space becomes available.
Please note that SAFE-TI does not connect healthcare professionals to hospitals or assist with employment opportunities as a Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner.
Topics Covered
SAFE-TI’s training and continuing education topics include:
- Patient-centered, trauma-informed care for adults and adolescents who have experienced sexual violence
- Trauma-informed, culturally responsive care specific to child survivors
- Court testimony and preparation for SAFE Examiners
- Toxicology in drug-facilitated sexual assault cases
- Care for pregnant patients who have experienced sexual violence
- Hands-on pelvic exam practice with a Gynecological Teaching Associate during the Clinical Day
Get Involved
SAFE-TI is Supported By:
Our General Training Program offers practical, interactive training to individuals and organizations across New York State who support survivors of sexual violence. This includes Rape Crisis Programs (RCPs), legal professionals, staff of human services organizations, Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs), community members who want to be better prepared to help, and more.
How We Deliver General Training
Training sessions are interactive, practical, and grounded in real-world experience. Sessions typically take place online via Zoom and are free and open to the public. We also offer customized sessions designed to meet the needs of specific organizations or groups, ensuring that participants leave with knowledge and skills that are directly applicable to their work and community context.
Topics Covered
Topics covered in our General Training sessions include:
- Understanding Sexual Violence
- Trauma-Informed Support
- Working with Diverse Communities
- Legal and Policy Frameworks
- Best Practices for Service Providers
- Accessing Resources and Making Referrals
- Sensitive Communication
- And more!
Who Should Participate
Training sessions are designed for a range of individuals and organizations. While a majority of trainings are open to anyone wishing to improve their response to survivors of sexual violence, many sessions are designed with unique participant needs in mind depending on the topic. This includes:
- Advocates and case managers
- Medical and mental health professionals
- Social workers
- Legal service providers
- Public prosecutors and law firms
- Law enforcement officers
- Educators and school staff
- Nonprofit and community organization staff
- Community groups and individual community members
Get Involved
Our General Training Program is Supported By:
As the designated New York State EiE Training and Technical Assistance Center, The Alliance works with more than 53 Rape Crisis and Sexual Violence Programs across the state, building their capacity to deliver sexual violence prevention training and workshops to college campuses.
This work is anchored in New York State’s Enough is Enough Law, which was passed in 2015 to address campus sexual assault. The law requires all institutions of higher education in New York State to provide comprehensive prevention education, intervention resources, and direct services to student survivors.
As the EiE Training and Technical Assistance Center, we support the organizations that help campuses comply with New York’s EiE Law.
Read the Report: Enough is Not Enough: Maintaining New York State As a Leader in Campus Sexual Violence Prevention
Who Should Participate
New York State Enough is Enough Providers.
Get Involved
New York State’s EiE Training and Technical Assistance Center is Funded By:
“I highly recommend The Alliance’s SAFE Adult/Adolescent training course. Beyond providing our team with the critical knowledge and skills required to excel as Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners, the course deepened their empathy, empowering them to offer more compassionate, culturally responsive, trauma-informed care to survivors of sexual assault.”
Mary T. Ryan, MD
Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, LMMHC, Bronx; Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College. NYC; SART Medical Director, Lincoln Hospital/Bronx SART. NYC.
Learn More About Our Work
Prevention
Sexual violence is preventable. We equip communities across New York State with the knowledge and skills to prevent sexual violence and respond effectively when it occurs.
Policy Advocacy & Legislation
We advance policy change that strengthens New York’s response to sexual violence, advocating for the legislation and resources that support survivors and the organizations that serve them.
Research
We generate the evidence needed to create meaningful change. Our research identifies gaps in services, reveals where survivors are underserved, and informs policy and systems change.