Community-led forensic nurse program officially launched

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Forensic nurse examinations with a culturally sensitive, trauma-informed approach are now available at two Winnipeg community hubs to survivors of sexual and intimate partner violence.

On Tuesday, Klinic Community Health and Ka Ni Kanichihk officially marked the launch of their crisis response program.

“We know that sexual assault and intimate partner violence disproportionately affects Indigenous women and girls, folks who identify as (LGBTTQ+), newcomer women, racialized folks and for those living with disabilities,” said Ayn Wilcox, executive director at Klinic.

“This program is a positive step to addressing the needs of those most impacted, but it is just the beginning.”

The West Broadway-area health centre and Indigenous-led non-profit have partnered to provide forensic nursing services and trauma supports to survivors who do not require emergency medical treatment at their respective locations.

The program brings nurses who are specially trained to collect criminal evidence together with appropriate cultural care, counselling and post-trauma supports, including advocacy and mental health treatment.

It is also led by a steering committee that includes elders Leslie Spillett and Billie Schibler, as well as survivors who sit on its “lived experience council.”

“One of the things that I really think that we are able to do, and we will continue to do, is be those really strong advocates until people have their own voices and of course to empower women to become their own advocates,” said Spillett.

Previously, forensic exams were provided to survivors exclusively at Health Sciences Centre in Winnipeg and hospitals and nursing stations in other parts of Manitoba. The sexual assault nurse examiner program at HSC logs about 700 patients each year.

The community-led program is the first of its kind in Manitoba and had a soft launch in October.

It is currently supported by 2.8 full-time equivalent community health nurses, who are trained to conduct forensic exams alongside cultural support workers and knowledge keepers.

In the past three months, 38 people have received forensic exams and support through either Klinic or Ka Ni Kanichihk.

“This is a testament to the essential need for these types of services in communities, not just in Winnipeg but across the province,” Wilcox said.

The program has the capacity to care for about 300 people annually at Klinic when fully operational, Wilcox added.

Forensic nurse examiners are available at Klinic (167 Sherbrook St.) Monday to Thursday from 9 a.m. to 7:30 p.m., Friday from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Ka Ni Kanichihk (102-765 Main St.) currently provides forensic nurse examinations Tuesdays and Thursdays from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., with plans to expand to full days in the coming months.

Ka Ni Kanichihk associate executive director Dana Connolly said providing Indigenous-led crisis response services is critical to supporting survivors, with Indigenous women disproportionately affected by sexual violence.

“As Indigenous people, we understand that culturally safe care extends beyond a clinical setting and needs to be accessible and feel safe for those who are utilizing it,” Connolly said.

“With a community-based model we are able to embed healing-centred, trauma-informed care in an environment where community is already feeling safe accessing programs and services.”

The program received $1.3 million in funding from the province and was first announced by the then-Progressive Conservative government in April 2023.

Health Minister Uzoma Asagwara said the NDP government is committed to working with survivors and care providers to end gender based violence in Manitoba.

“Being here today means our collective support of survivors is going to continue to get stronger and it’s one more step, an important step, to ensure that we develop a province-wide response to support sexual assault survivors and those impacted by intimate partner violence,” Asagwara said.

Opposition families critic Lauren Stone applauded Klinic and Ka Ni Kanichihk on the launch of the program — which she described as offering important help for survivors — while taking a swipe at the NDP for endorsing a Tory-backed program.

“The NDP have skated by for four months by reannouncing or cutting PC initiatives,” the MLA for Midland said in a statement. “It’s become clear that the NDP have no plan of their own to improve care for all Manitobans.”

danielle.dasilva@freepress.mb.ca