CAPE GIRARDEAU, Mo. (KFVS) - Missouri hospitals now have new tools to better support survivors of sexual assault, and it’s available anytime, day and night.

Launched by the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services, Sexual Assault Forensic Exams via Telehealth Network, or SAFEvT, connects local hospitals with on-call, certified sexual assault nurse examiners.

That allows nurses to guide patients through the process while working directly with the examiner over telehealth.

Executive Director of SEMO NASV said this kind of access makes a critical difference.

“That hospital will be able to accommodate them right then and there. Essentially, it’s being able to assist sexual violence survivors as they come in, versus kind of what I want to say, delaying that response time for them,”

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