The SAFE Alliance announces return of forensic nursing services to Eloise House through new partnership

Escrito por SAFE

The SAFE Alliance announced today that forensic nursing services will resume at Eloise House through a new collaborative model that expands options and strengthens the support system for survivors of sexual assault. Exams are expected to resume on Jan. 3, 2027.

The partnership brings together specialized forensic care and ongoing survivor support services at Eloise House, reflecting a shared commitment to making compassionate, trauma-informed care available to survivors in Central Texas.

“When forensic examinations were discontinued earlier this year, we were clear that the existing model was financially unsustainable. We were equally clear that survivors deserved better than a system that depended on a single nonprofit absorbing the costs of an essential service,” Dr. Pierre Berastaín, CEO of SAFE, said. “This partnership represents meaningful progress toward a more sustainable approach. By bringing together TXFNE’s specialized clinical expertise and SAFE’s longstanding advocacy and support services, we are restoring an important pathway to care while continuing to work toward the shared responsibility this community needs.”

Under the new model, SAFE is partnering with Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners: Forensic Center of Excellence, which brings specialized forensic nursing expertise to Eloise House. The partnership combines TXFNE’s clinical capabilities with SAFE’s longstanding commitment to survivor advocacy, trauma-informed support and access to additional services.

The return of forensic nursing services to Eloise House is one part of the community’s broader effort to strengthen forensic care across Central Texas through a collaborative, multi-provider model. Long-term sustainability will require broader investment, stronger coordination and shared responsibility among health care systems, public institutions and community partners. SAFE is calling for continued collaboration among these stakeholders to develop lasting solutions that ensure survivors can access the care they need.

“TXFNE’s strength is the clinical expertise of our forensic nurse examiners,” Dr. Khara Breeden, founder and CEO of TXFNE, said. “Every exam is trauma-informed, thorough, and built to support both a survivor’s healing and the integrity of their case. When we enter a community, that standard of care comes with us. We are excited to bring TXFNE’s services to SAFE Alliance and the Austin community, our fifth community expansion, and to work side by side with a partner who shares our commitment to survivors. Together, we will make sure Austin survivors have access to expert, compassionate care when they need it most.”

SAFE has been the primary rape crisis center in the region for over 50 years. Over a decade ago, at the community’s request, SAFE expanded its services to include forensic exams, assuming significant financial and operational responsibilities that, by law, rest with hospital systems. Since the decision to end forensic nursing happened, Eloise House remained open, and SAFE has continued providing critical services to survivors, including 24/7 advocacy, crisis response, case management, therapy and other support.

Austin has now transitioned toward a collaborative, multi-provider system of forensic care designed to expand access, strengthen coordination, and give survivors greater choice. However, demand for examinations continues to exceed provider capacity, contributing to longer wait times and highlighting the need for specialized trauma care and alternatives to hospital-based settings. The return of forensic nursing services to Eloise House addresses these gaps by expanding community capacity and reconnecting forensic examinations with SAFE’s existing specialized expertise, comprehensive advocacy, and ongoing support for survivors with complex and intersecting needs.

“For a survivor of sexual assault, access to timely, compassionate care can shape what happens in the hours and months that follow,” Berastaín said. “Having more options for where and how to receive that care is meaningful, particularly when those services are connected to advocacy, counseling, and longer-term support. We welcome this growing network of providers, and we also recognize that our work is far from finished. Our community must continue building a system in which access to forensic care is dependable, coordinated, and sustained, regardless of where a survivor first seeks help.”

SAFE’s return to forensic nursing care is currently made possible entirely through the generosity of philanthropic supporters. For more information about SAFE’s services and resources for survivors, as well as how to support Eloise House through events like its annual gala in Febrero, visit safeaustin.org.

Contacto con los medios de comunicación:

Levente McCrary or Beth Phillips

512-997-8834 or 806-252-0055 lmccrary@ecprtexas.com or bphillips@ecprtexas.com

ADDITIONAL QUOTES FROM COMMUNITY PARTNERS

Eloise DeJoria, Philanthropist

“It has been an honor to have Eloise House named after me since our foundation helped to start the forensic clinic services at SAFE more than 10 years ago. I’m so glad the forensic exams will be coming back and that Austin is growing its capacity to care for survivors.”

Gloria Aguilera Terre, Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Council on Family Violence

“TCFV deeply values the care and support SAFE provides to survivors. We know that domestic violence and sexual assault too often intersect, making access to compassionate, survivor-centered forensic care all the more essential. We applaud SAFE and its community partners for finding a sustainable path forward that strengthens our collective response and ensures survivors have access to the care, dignity, and choices they deserve.”

Rose Luna, Chief Executive Officer of the Texas Association Against Sexual Assault

“Sexual assault survivors deserve immediate access to two essential professionals: a sexual assault advocate and a forensic nurse. Together, they center the survivor’s physical and emotional well-being, support healing, and provide informed options—while preserving forensic evidence and providing survivors with choices about reporting. Expanding access to forensic services alongside advocacy is a positive step for survivors across Travis County and the City of Austin.”

Acerca de la Alianza SAFE

The SAFE Alliance is an Austin-based non-profit that has operated for over 50 years in support of survivors of child abuse, domestic violence, sexual assault, and sex trafficking in Central Texas. Through the provision of shelter and housing, integrated support services, and prevention initiatives, SAFE advances safety, stability, and healing for individuals and families impacted by violence. Learn more at safeaustin.org.  

 

If you or someone you know needs help, contact SAFE for free resources and specialized care through the confidential, 24-hour SAFEline. Call: 512–267–SAFE (7233), Text: 737–888–7233, or Chat: safeaustin.org/chat.    

About Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners: Forensic Center of Excellence

Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners: Forensic Center of Excellence (TXFNE) is a nonprofit organization dedicated to ensuring survivors of violence, including sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, elder abuse, and human trafficking, have timely access to specialized, trauma-informed forensic care. Through its 24/7/365 mobile forensic nursing program, TXFNE provides comprehensive medical forensic examinations, evidence collection, injury documentation, advocacy, and connections to supportive services across 44 counties in four regions of Texas, including rural and underserved communities. TXFNE is also home to the nation’s first Adult Forensic Interview (AFI) program for adolescent and adult survivors of violence, offering specialized interviews that support investigations and multidisciplinary case coordination while reducing the need for survivors to repeatedly recount their experiences. Through education and training, counseling services, and collaboration with healthcare providers, law enforcement, prosecutors, and victim service organizations, TXFNE strengthens community responses to violence and advances survivor-centered care that prioritizes dignity, choice, healing, and access to justice. Learn more at www.txfne.com.