East Idaho forensic nurses seek community support to continue critical services

IDAHO FALLS — When a victim of sexual assault, child abuse or domestic violence arrives at an East Idaho hospital, one of the most important people they may meet isn’t a detective or prosecutor. It’s a forensic nurse.

Specially trained in trauma-informed care, forensic nurses provide compassionate medical treatment while documenting injuries and collecting evidence that can play a critical role in a criminal investigation.

Forensic Examination and Response Network was established by forensic nurses who previously provided much of the region’s specialized response through the Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Center. Today, the FERN team provides 24-hour coverage for victims of sexual assault, child abuse, domestic violence, strangulation and other violent crimes throughout Eastern Idaho.

FERN is the only readily available source of that type of specialized care.

To help sustain those efforts, FERN’s “Sing for Survivors” fundraiser will be held this Saturday, June 13, at 6:30 p.m. at Function Junction, 920 E. Lincoln Road in Idaho Falls. The evening will feature karaoke, dinner, raffles and DJ challenges, with proceeds benefiting assault and abuse survivors in Eastern Idaho. Tickets are $25 and include a barbecue dinner.

“Recently, law enforcement contacted us twice in a single day regarding children who needed forensic medical examinations,” said Chantel Mower, FERN’s director of education. “We responded because children and victims of violence deserve access to specialized medical care regardless of whether funding is available.”

Mower is also a certified sexual assault nurse examiner, or SANE. She and her fellow examiners conduct medical forensic exams, document injuries, collect DNA and other evidence, provide medications and follow-up care, and connect patients with advocacy and support services.

Last year alone, FERN nurses performed approximately 130 forensic examinations, serving victims and supporting hospitals, law enforcement agencies, prosecutors and the justice system by ensuring evidence is collected properly while providing patient-centered care.

Despite the critical role they play, Mower said there is no sustainable funding source to support that specialized level of response the community depends on.

“Victims can’t wait,” she said. “We’ve continued answering the call, but the future of these services depends on community awareness and support.”

While the event aims to raise money, organizers say its larger purpose is to ensure that survivors of violence throughout east Idaho continue to have access to specialized forensic medical care when they need it most.

“It’s more than a fundraiser,” Mower said. “It’s about protecting access to essential healthcare and public safety services for some of our community’s most vulnerable victims.”

For more information checkout FERN on Facebook.