Medical Forensic Exams
Medical Forensic Exams Across Southeastern Arizona
Lori's Place provides a SANE exam for evidence collection in Cochise County and across Southeastern Arizona, in a warm, comfortable, and secure setting, never a hospital emergency room or police station. Every exam is performed by SANE-certified staff trained to pair trauma-informed medical care with the evidence collection a case may need.
What Is a Medical Forensic (SANE) Exam?
A medical forensic exam, often called a SANE exam, is a specialized evaluation performed by a sexual assault nurse examiner to address a survivor's immediate health needs while collecting evidence that can support an investigation and, when applicable, prosecution. The exam combines medical care with careful evidence collection, so a survivor is examined and treated by one trained provider instead of moving between separate medical and evidence-collection appointments. Families across Cochise, Graham, and Greenlee counties are referred to Lori's Place for a medical forensic exam by law enforcement, county attorneys, and medical and behavioral health providers who need thorough documentation completed by SANE-certified staff.
A Warm, Comfortable Setting, Not a Hospital Emergency Room
Lori's Place is the only agency in the tri-county area that offers medical forensic exams outside a hospital or police station, for evidence collection in a setting built specifically for this purpose. Exam rooms are designed to feel calm and private, with the same comfortable, home-like surroundings used throughout our center, instead of a busy hospital emergency room. That setting matters because a survivor who feels safe and unhurried is better able to get through an exam that documents both an injury and an experience.
SANE-Certified Staff and a Trauma-Informed Approach
Every medical forensic exam at Lori's Place is performed by SANE-certified staff trained specifically in trauma-informed medical care, not by hospital emergency room personnel juggling other patients. A SANE nurse explains each step before it happens, checks in throughout the exam, and adjusts pace to what the survivor can handle that day. This approach treats the exam itself as part of a survivor's care, not only as a step toward building a case.
What to Expect Before, During, and After Your Exam
Step 1
Before your exam, you'll be welcomed into our comfortable space and introduced to a victim advocate who can explain the process and answer questions at whatever pace you need.
Step 2
During the exam, a SANE-certified nurse addresses your immediate medical needs and collects evidence carefully, explaining each step as it happens.
Step 3
After the exam, an advocate meets with you again to talk through next steps, connect you with additional support through our multidisciplinary team, and answer questions about what happens with the evidence collected.
Confidentiality You Can Count On
Your medical forensic exam is documented and shared only with the
multidisciplinary team members directly working your case, not released to the public. When a case moves toward prosecution, the evidence collected during your exam supports the multidisciplinary team, which includes law enforcement and county attorney's offices across Cochise, Graham, and Greenlee counties, in moving the case forward. Every member of our team is trained to handle what you share with care and discretion.
Medical Forensic Exams for Children, Teens, and Adults
Medical forensic exams at Lori's Place are available for both children and teens and adults. A child's exam follows the same trauma-informed approach as an adult's, adjusted to the child's age and comfort rather than rushed to fit a set procedure. Visit our Children and Teens page or our Adults page to see what a full visit looks like for your family, from arrival through your interview and exam.
Common Questions About Medical Forensic Exams
What is a SANE exam?
A SANE exam, or medical forensic exam, is an evaluation performed by a sexual assault nurse examiner that addresses your immediate medical needs and collects evidence in a way that can support an investigation. At Lori's Place, every exam is performed by SANE-certified staff in a comfortable, private setting instead of a hospital emergency room.
Do I have to go to a hospital for a forensic medical exam?
No. Lori's Place is the only agency in Cochise, Graham, and Greenlee counties that offers medical forensic exams outside a hospital or police station, for evidence collection in a warm, comfortable, and secure setting built specifically for this purpose.
Where can I get a sexual assault exam near Sierra Vista?
Lori's Place, headquartered in Sierra Vista, provides SANE exams for survivors throughout Cochise, Graham, and Greenlee counties. Law enforcement, a county attorney's office, or a medical or behavioral health provider can refer you, or you can reach out directly through our hotline or contact form.
Is a SANE nurse available in Cochise County?
Yes. Lori's Place employs SANE-certified nurses who perform medical forensic exams for evidence collection in Cochise County and across the surrounding region, so survivors do not have to travel to a hospital or wait for an exam elsewhere.
Every survivor who comes to Lori's Place for a medical forensic exam is met with the same warm, comfortable setting and the same SANE-certified team, whether the referral comes from law enforcement, a county attorney's office, or a medical provider anywhere in Cochise, Graham, or Greenlee counties. If you have questions or need to schedule an exam, our team is ready to help.