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Local victims of sexual and domestic violence will no longer have to travel 40 miles to obtain a medical forensics exam thanks to a collaboration of Project Horizon and Augusta Health.
Last Thursday, Augusta Health celebrated the opening of its Augusta Health Forensic Nursing Center just north of Lexington with a ribbon cutting hosted by the Lexington- Rockbridge Chamber of Commerce.
In partnership with Project Horizon, the Augusta Health Forensic Nursing Center will serve pediatric and adult victims of sexual and domestic violence, strangulation and human trafficking from Rockbridge County, Lexington and Buena Vista. There will be an Augusta Health forensic nurse on call to do exams and Project Horizon will have advocates available on call 24 hours a day to either transport or meet the victim at the new forensic center.
“When survivors of sexual and domestic violence are told they will have to travel at least an hour to receive a forensic medical exam, they often turn down this important service,” said Judy Casteele, executive director of Project Horizon.
This is what motivated her and her staff at Project Horizon to attend the Family Justice Center Conference in San Diego, Calif., a few years ago.
“We learned a lot about the Family Justice Center model at that conference, but that concept, which is perfect for urban areas, had to be adjusted to work best for our area,” said Casteele.
The Family Justice Center model, like the one Project Horizon staff members visited in San Diego, is a better model for larger urban areas, she said. All of the professionals - police, advocates, nurses, prosecutors, forensic interviewers - are in the same building.
“It’s like a ‘one stop shop’ for those who have been victimized,” said Casteele. “In a small community like Rockbridge, where we are close in proximity to each other, we don’t need to be in the same building to nurture relationships. We know each other by name and we can count on each other to do our best to serve the community.”
In 2021, Casteele pitched the idea of a satellite forensic nursing center in Lexington to a team of leaders at Augusta Health, and the Augusta Health leaders knew it was a critical service for the Rockbridge community.
Before, many victims would travel to the Fishersville Forensic Center location. Having a center in Lexington will allow for access to support and evidence to be collected in a much timelier manner.
Augusta Medical Group was able to offer free office space attached to the Augusta Health Primary Care offices at Hunter Hill. The space is convenient as it is close to Project Horizon and its multidisciplinary team partner agencies, including the Rockbridge County Sheriff’s Office. The space has its own private entrance and waiting area.
Augusta Health forensic nurses are registered nurses with specialized training in the collection of evidence, injury identification, detailed documentation, expert witness testimony in court, consultation with investigative agencies, and maintaining the privacy and dignity of all patients. Based on the exam results, a forensic nurse can help get the right treatment and support.
The Augusta Health Foundation has also been very involved with making this happen and provides continuous support for both Fishersville and Lexington Forensic Nursing Center locations.
“We are so grateful to everyone who worked so tirelessly to make it happen,” Casteele said.
The new center will be used in conjunction with local police and Project Horizon. Victims of domestic or sexual violence should call Project Horizon’s hotline at (540) 463-2594 and staff members will set up an appointment for them to see a nurse for evidence collection. They can also report to the police, who can do the same thing.
