Community Memorial Offers Instant Primary Care Access
Community Memorial (CMH) employees across the organization’s main campus and eight primary and specialty offices participated in National Denim on April 30th, donning jeans and donating funds to support the Liberty Resources Help Restore Hope Center of Oneida. In recognition of Sexual Assault Awareness Month, community members, elected officials, employees, and students are asked to make a social statement by wearing jeans on this day to protest against the misconceptions surrounding sexual violence.
CMH has been a New York State Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner (SAFE)-Designated Hospital since 2023. As a SAFE Hospital, CMH has Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) available who are specially trained to provide timely, compassionate, patient-centered care that meets the unique needs of victims of sexual assault and domestic violence. The SANE Program was launched at CMH in the fall of 2017 through a partnership with Colgate University and Madison County’s Liberty Resources Help Restore Hope Center. The SANE program provides specialty-trained nurses who offer all residents of Southern Madison County comprehensive medical and psychological services specifically related to sexual assault. Additionally, victims of domestic violence who may need forensic evidence collection or psychological care are assisted. Prior to 2017, survivors of sexual assault were required to travel at least 30 miles from Hamilton to access SANE services.
“It’s very moving each year to see the support our employees offer this vital program,” noted Sarah Bohnert, MSN, RN, SANE-A, NY-SAFE, of Community Memorial. “All funds raised are directly donated to Liberty Resources, who is our collaborating partner in providing this essential service for patients in times of crisis.”
SANE services include care for survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, intimate partner violence, non-fatal strangulation, human trafficking, abuse and neglect. The service offers advocate support, counseling, follow-up care and forensic medical examinations that collect and secure evidence and walk a survivor through the process to be able to choose to prosecute the perpetrator in the future. Treatment and recovery from such a traumatic event, along with SANE advocates offering longtime care, is extremely vital for any patient who needs it. In 2022, the SANE program expanded its services to include response to assist with medical/psychosocial/ and forensic care of victims of domestic violence. “This continued work with our office and Community Memorial is vital to every patient that needs our services,” noted Theresa Davis, Divisional Director at Liberty Resources. “We’re proud that our local healthcare facilities share in our mission with the SANE Program.”
Since 1998, Peace Over Violence has organized the Denim Day Campaign after a 1998 Italian Supreme Court decision overturned a rape conviction because the victim wore tight jeans. This led to a movement of women wearing denim in solidarity with the victim. Since then, wearing jeans on Denim Day has become a symbol of protest against erroneous and destructive attitudes about sexual harassment, abuse, assault, and rape.
New this year, there was also a ‘drive’ within CMH as the organization has also committed to giving each domestic violence patient a ‘comfort kit’. “When a patient comes to our Emergency Room needing a forensic exam, they will be given a Comfort Kit containing items such as a new toothbrush, deodorant, nice shampoo, and a clean pair of socks to use after the exam,” added Bohnert.
Community Memorial offers primary care in six locations (Hamilton, Cazenovia, Morrisville, Munnsville, Sherrill and Waterville) and warmly welcomes patients for all services, including specialty care. Regularly check the ‘News and Events’ section of the website for the latest updates as services continue to expand.
To learn more about any of the Community Memorial services, visit www.communitymemorial.org. To learn more about this awareness month and the SANE program, please visit www.liberty-resources.org/hrhc/ .