All HHC acute care hospitals have been designated by the New York State Health Department as SAFE Centers of Excellence, where sexual assault victims receive sensitive care within one hour of their arrival. At these hospitals, Sexual Assault Response Teams (SART), composed of specially-trained forensic examiners and rape crisis counselors, provide immediate state-of-the-art forensic and counseling services. SART programs, which operate around the clock, can minimize trauma to the victim and reduce the risk that evidence critical to law enforcement will be lost, damaged or overlooked. HHC SAFE Centers of Excellence are staffed by SART staff who have gone through intensive training, approved by the New York State Department of Health, and include properly identifying, collecting and packaging forensic evidence, accurately documenting injuries and attending to the emotional needs of rape victims. All SAFE Centers must meet standards that have been established by the New York State Department of Health in conjunction with a team of experts in the field.

Click here for a list of HHC acute care hospitals, all of which have SAFE Centers of Excellence.