New SWICACC clinic a step closer to comprehensive care for victims of abuse
A new clinic dedicated to providing medical examinations for victims of physical and sexual assault is set to open on March 24 at the Southwestern Indiana Child Advocacy Center Coalition (SWICACC) in Jasper. The facility aims to create a calm, supportive environment for victims while providing essential medical care and evidence collection.
SWICAC’s mission is to “provides a safe reporting location for victims of crime and their families with community-based multidisciplinary teams that provide support, promote justice and help to prevent violence” in Crawford, Daviess, Dubois, Martin, Orange, Perry, and Spencer and surrounding counties in Southwestern Indiana.
Center on 5th opened in 2022 to bring a hub of services to victims of physical and sexual abuse to assist in the investigations of those occurrences. Executive Director Tammy Lampert has always seen the hub as a comprehensive site for services designed to help victims obtain justice and begin healing.
Since opening, several organizations with similar missions and support services, such as mental health support and counseling, have also moved into the building.
The new clinic is one more step in addressing a critical gap in local services. Specialized medical services from a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) have not been available in Dubois County for a few years. Victims have had to travel to Evansville, Bloomington or Indianapolis for examinations.
When it opens, Nurse Practitioner Emily Klein will now provide the medical and investigative examinations to assist victims and investigators. Klein brings significant medical experience to her role. The third generation nurse–her mother and grandmother are both nurses–began practicing in 2005 and has been a nurse practitioner for 12 years. Her background includes experience in the emergency room and pediatric trauma units.
The new clinic creates a dedicated space specifically designed to reduce trauma during examinations. Unlike the busy, public environment of an emergency room, the SANE clinic offers privacy and calm with an eye on helping victims begin to heal.
“That has guided our process in creating the space,” Klein explained. “How do we make this healing for this person?
From the moment individuals enter the space, they are met with a continuation of the artwork decorating the center’s halls. The bright waiting area has comfortable beanbag chairs, toys, games and books. There is an initial interview room that Klein will use to meet with victims and caregivers before meeting with victims individually to describe the exam process.
It is also during this time that she lets them know they have control over the examination.
“I let them know we are the medical people and we’re here to make sure they are medically okay,” she said. “We let them know what the exam is and that if there is any part of the exam they don’t want to do, they don’t have to do that.”
It is a moment that gives them back some control, an empowering moment that can be therapeutic for victims.
She also ensures that the victims understand what happened to them wasn’t their fault.
These processes help victims begin to heal from their trauma.
Klein is a medical provider first and foremost but will ask questions about injuries she observes, take photos of injuries and collect specimens if they are available as part of the investigative process.
As a nurse practitioner, Klein can also establish standing orders for the clinic, allowing them to provide on-site medications, testing, and referrals. This removes more barriers to healing by narrowing down the number of individuals a victim has to speak to about their trauma.
To prepare for her new role, Klein has undergone extensive training to be certified as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner.
The clinic plans a phased approach to serving the community. Initially, it will focus on SWICACC cases where children have disclosed abuse during forensic interviews. Eventually, it will expand to accept referrals from law enforcement and the Department of Child Services across the seven counties SWICACC serves.
The long-term vision includes providing 24/7 coverage between the clinic and Deaconess Memorial Medical Center.
The clinic receives funding through grants and donations, with some reimbursement available through the Indiana Criminal Justice Institute for examinations performed.
“Everything done here will be free across to the patient,” Klein says. “We won’t take insurance or do any of that.”
As a nonprofit, SWICACC is always seeking partners to support its mission. If you are interested in helping, please contact them at 812-559-0490 or email Lampert at tammy@swicacc.com.
