Tides of Change Forensic Nursing Program began offering services in December 2025. Since 2019, Tillamook County has not had a Sexual Assault Forensic Nurses (SANEs) for Adolescent/Adult Sexual Assault Forensic Exams (SAFEs). The lack of availability has left survivors of sexual assault without the option to have evidence collection and provided a comprehensive forensic exam to be used in potential criminal proceedings. Survivors that wanted to have the exams were faced with leaving the county and traveling anywhere one to three hours to the nearest location with an available SANE. After experiencing a significant trauma, survivors were having to secure transportation, travel, and then go through wait times at the next location to finally obtain the exam, which is a lengthy process. This created barriers that many survivors were not able to overcome and chose to not pursue those exams.
Tides of Change community-based Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program to address the need for compassionate care of adolescent and adult sexual assault survivors in Tillamook County is now available.
Through a multi-disciplinary workgroup that included Tides of Change, Adventist Health Tillamook, Tillamook County Sherriff’s Office, Tillamook City Police, and Tillamook County District Attorney’s Office the plan to build a new SANE response for Tillamook County began back in 2022. Tides of Change was successful in receiving a competitive federal award through the Office on Victims of Crime that allowed us to develop a Forensic Nursing Program within Tides of Change, which is the only program in Oregon that has both services – Advocacy and SANE programs housed under the same agency.
Currently, there are three SANEs in addition to a full-time SANE Manager. Tides of Change is actively recruiting for nurses that are interested in becoming trained. While the program does not have 24/7 response at this point in time, the plan is to build up the response over time, and as more nurses acquire the training. The SANE is available 5-6 days a week at this time. The goal of our community-based SANE program is to have 24/7 on-call SANE response in Tillamook County to ensure that anyone who experiences a sexual assault will have access to all necessary services locally.
Advocacy services and response are still available 24/7.
Currently, we are seeking to hire qualified individuals that are interested in becoming certified SANEs. This can include RNs, NPS, PAs, MDs, DOs, and NDs. Must have a current license in Oregon. Tides of Change will provide the costs of training and certification in addition to time spent training and on-call/SANE response.
If someone has experienced sexual assault they can call Tides of Change and speak to a confidential advocate 24/7 at 503.842.9486 or for more information about the SANE program and Tides of Change services, www.tidesofchangenw.org.
To learn more about our SANE program, access the PowerPoint slides by clicking HERE