About CDFNE

To provide professional, compassionate, culturally competent, and timely collection of forensic evidence for our patients. We respond to local emergency departments in the event a victim of sexual violence presents.

 The first community based Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner or SANE program began as part of the Abused Adult Resource Center (AARC) in May 2001, when a Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) had finalized protocols and began looking for funding for SANE nurses. In August of 2002, the AARC received a Bush Grant for a SANE program and STOP funding to provide training to seven Registered Nurses.

In 2003, those seven nurses started performing forensic medical exams in the Bismarck-Mandan region. In November 2013, the SANE program changed its name to the Central Dakota Forensic Nurse Examiners (CDFNE) and gained 501c(3) status. CDFNE has expanded into Minot, Dickinson, and Williston. Our clinic covers a total of 23 counties in western and central North Dakota, with an average of 24 nurses on staff who are trained to provide forensic medical exams to victims of all ages. 

In 2021 we opened our first follow-up clinic in Bismarck to provide trauma informed care to individuals.   

• Provides services in a manner that avoids further trauma to the sexual assault survivor in the healthcare environment.
• Provides a timely medical/legal exam to collect forensic evidence according to state and national protocols.
• Provides a consistent caregiver throughout the forensic examination.
• Provides consistent discharge instructions and referrals for follow-up care and counseling.
• Operates as part of the community Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), along with law enforcement and advocacy.
• Provides 24-hour services.
• The International Association of Forensic Nurses website has several more resources here.