Atlanta, GA — The Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) is excited to announce the hiring of Ms. Sarah Pederson as the Georgia Statewide Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) Coordinator. Recognizing the need for a statewide SANE response, this position coordinates, supports, and enhances existing and developing SANE programs. Georgia, like much of the country, suffers from a lack of trained SANEs. This vital role will provide a contact person to provide resources, support, recruit, and retain SANEs statewide.

Specifically, Pederson will build infrastructure and relationships with non-profit and state stakeholders to promote consistent, professional, and victim-centered treatment of sexual assault victims. Pederson says her vision for this role is to support SANE programs throughout the state and ensure that SANE coordinators and programs have trained SANEs to perform forensic medical examinations, adding that, “Every patient deserves the right to a forensic medical exam by a trained professional following a sexual assault.”

Pederson previously coordinated the SANE services provided to patients within Cobb, Cherokee, and Paulding counties by liveSAFE Resources. In this role, Pederson ensured that forensic exams were performed according to accepted best practices and the established exam protocols she outlined for liveSAFE Resources and the WellStar Regional Protection Center. Pederson is also a member of the Georgia Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) State Expert Committee and helped with developing the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) Guide.

Funding for the Georgia Statewide SANE Coordinator position is provided by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) from the Department of Justice Office for Victims of Crime (OVC).

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About the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC)

Created by the Georgia General Assembly in 1981 as an Executive Branch agency, the Criminal Justice Coordinating Council (CJCC) represents the culmination of many efforts to establish a statewide body that would build consensus and unity among the State's diverse and interdependent, criminal justice system components. For more information visit the CJCC website: https://cjcc.georgia.gov/.

About the Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) State Expert Committee

The State Expert Committee is comprised of multi-disciplinary sexual assault experts from across Georgia including advocates, law enforcement personnel, prosecutors, judges and state agencies including the Department of Health and the Department of Corrections. The committee’s role is to advise and support the project’s Core Partners in providing guidance to SARTs in Georgia’s 49 judicial circuits.

Samantha Wolf – Communications and External Affairs Director | Atlanta | 404/657-1958