About SAFE-TI

SAFE-TI works to ensure that all survivors receive the compassionate, sensitive care that they need and deserve. We train healthcare professionals to provide post-assault medical and forensic care to adults, adolescents, and children. The program includes a 40-hour Adult/Adolescent Course accredited by New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) and International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN), and a 40-hour Pediatric/Adolescent Course accredited by IAFN. SAFE-TI also provides continuing education opportunities through seminars and a Mock Trial skills building course.

SAFE-TI is open to New York State-licensed physicians, physician assistants, registered nurses, nurse practitioners, nurse midwives, and staff of organizations committed to providing patients who have experienced sexual violence with trauma-informed care. 

How We Work With Medical Professionals

SAFE-TI delivers two courses that train medical professionals to competently perform Sexual Assault Forensic Exams (SAFE Exams):  

Adult/Adolescent Course 

Our 40-hour Adult/Adolescent Course is accredited by New York State Department of Health (NYS DOH) and International Association of Forensic Nurses (IAFN). This four-day course educates medical professionals on providing patient-centered, trauma-informed, and culturally responsive care to adults and adolescents who have experienced sexual violence and is a pre-requisite for completing the Pediatric Course.  

As each course only has limited seats, we prioritize training healthcare professionals currently working at an Emergency Department of a New York City hospital, with an active SAFE program that offers preceptorship on-site. However, a few openings are reserved in each course for individuals who are not currently in an emergency department but are seeking to become a SAFE Practitioner and are committed to providing patient-centered, trauma-informed medical care to patients that have experienced sexual assault.

Sessions are delivered through a hybrid model and use a learner-paced virtual classroom. There is a pre-course work feature that opens in advance of the live-lecture portion and consists of fourteen learner-paced online modules. Completion of Pre-Course Content, Live Lectures, and a Clinical Day are required for successful award of a course certificate and 43 Contact Hours.  

The two days of live lectures are held in-person and the remaining two lecture days are held on Zoom. The Clinical Day takes place at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, located in Bronx, New York. Participants should plan to be available from 8:00am to 6:00pm for all four days of the course. The Clinical Day is a special learning opportunity working with a Gynecological Teaching Associate (GTA) to practice live pelvic exams.  

Professionals who work outside of New York State, or who have not completed their medical training (residents) are ineligible* for the Adult/Adolescent Course. 

*Medical residents should inquire about training with the Crime Victims Treatment Center. More information can be found on their website here. 

Pediatric/Adolescent Course 

Our 40-hour Pediatric/Adolescent Course is accredited by IAFN and educates medical professionals on providing trauma-informed and culturally responsive care to children who have experienced sexual violence. The Pediatric/Adolescent course is also a hybrid model, with two days of live lectures over zoom and one in-person day. There is no clinical day component.

Individuals with past SAFE experience and pediatric emergency providers will be prioritized. 

Professionals who live outside of New York State, or who have not completed their medical training (residents), are ineligible for the Pediatric Course. 

Continuing Education  

We also hold regular Continuing Education courses and webinars, which allow SAFE Examiners and other sexual violence professionals to enhance their skillset in meeting the needs of patients who have experienced sexual violence. This includes a Mock Trial Skills-Building Course, which combines the knowledge of the Manhattan District Attorney’s Office along with expert sexual assault examiners where participants learn about the legal proceedings of court testimony. 

Please note: The Alliance does not help healthcare professionals connect to hospitals or find employment opportunities as a Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner.

Our Impact

In 2025, we trained 236 healthcare professionals to provide trauma-informed, culturally competent care to survivors when they visit a hospital emergency room.

Here’s how medical professionals trained through SAFE-TI have felt supported by the program:

“I highly recommend The Alliance’s SAFE Adult/Adolescent training course. Beyond providing our team with the critical knowledge and skills required to excel as Sexual Assault Forensic Examiners, the course has also deepened their empathy, empowering them to offer more compassionate, culturally responsive, trauma-informed care to survivors of sexual assault.

I have been involved in other courses and SAFE training over the years and this is by far the most comprehensive one. It has an impressive list of speakers, covers a broad range of topics with emphasis on a patient centered approach and trauma informed care.  Participants are provided with the necessary knowledge and hands-on skills to become competent and caring forensic examiners. Carolyn El Serafi and Karen Carroll are a dynamic duo and keep participants engaged and motivated.

The hybrid structure of this course is ideal, allowing those traveling from longer distances to attend. The clinical skills day is excellent for those with limited prior experience in performing pelvic exams and using a speculum. This course demands a sincere commitment to the 40-hour training and includes Pre-Course Modules, but it is time well spent and really prepares you for DOH certification as a SAFE.“

-Mary T. Ryan, MD; Attending Physician, Department of Emergency Medicine, LMMHC, Bronx; Assistant Professor of Clinical Emergency Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College. NYC; SART Medical Director, Lincoln Hospital/Bronx SART. NYC. 

Get Involved

To learn more about SAFE-TI or to request training, please contact our SAFE-TI Coordinator Carolyn El Serafi, LMSW. email

2026 SAFE Course Training Dates:

Adult/Adolescent SAFE Courses

Pediatric/Adolescent SAFE Course

2026 Continuing Education Opportunities:

Identifying Red Flag Sexual Grooming Behaviors

SAFE Care for Adolescents

SAFE Testimony: What to Expect & How to Prepare

Toxicology of Park B Kits: Drug Facilitated Sexual Assaults

SAFE Care for Pregnant Patients

Mock Trial

  • May 6th 2026, 8:45am-5:00pm
  • Stay tuned for a registration link coming soon! (Registration closes on April 15th.)

Thank You to Our Funders

SAFE-TI is proudly supported by:

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