Telehealth for adolescent sexual assault forensic care (SAFE-T) expansion
Official title: PROJECT 2: Penn State University's Translational Center for Child Maltreatment Studies (TCCMS)
Funded at Pennsylvania State University, the · NIH-11362690 · Data updated 2026-11-12
A nationwide program helps rural and underserved hospitals give expert, trauma-informed sexual assault care to adolescent survivors through telehealth support.
Quick facts
| Grant type | NIH-funded research |
|---|---|
| Study type | NIH-funded research |
| Funding institution | Pennsylvania State University, the NIH-funded |
| Lab location | 1 site (University Park, United States) |
| Project start | April 20, 2017 |
| Project end | May 31, 2028 |
| Funding year | 2026 |
| Award (this year) | $275,911 |
| NIH project number | 5P50HD089922-09 |
| Project ID | NIH-11362690 on NIH RePORTER |
Who could benefit from this research
✓Could help
Adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse or assault and seek forensic and medical care at participating hospitals, especially in rural or underserved areas.
✕Less likely to help
Adolescents in non-participating sites or those not seeking forensic evaluation may not directly benefit.
What this research studies
This grant supports the SAFE-T Adolescent Evaluation, which uses telehealth to connect local nurses and patients with expert sexual assault nurse examiners. It aims to improve the quality of exams, evidence collection, and compassionate care for adolescents who have experienced sexual abuse or assault. The study looks at how the teleSANE model affects health outcomes, access to services, and justice processes across multiple sites. The work is focused on real patients in diverse communities and seeks to reduce disparities in care.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, adolescents in underserved areas could receive higher-quality, timely care and better support through telehealth-backed examinations.
How similar studies have gone: Telehealth models for forensic examinations have shown promise in increasing access and standardizing care in other settings, supporting potential success here.
Where this research is happening
-
Pennsylvania State University, the
University Park, United States Active
Researchers
- Principal investigator: Miyamoto, Sheridan — Pennsylvania State University, the
- Study coordinator: Miyamoto, Sheridan
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Translational Center for Child Maltreatment Studies (TCCMS) at Penn State
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About this research
- This is an active NIH-funded research project — typically early-stage science, not a clinical trial accepting patient enrollment.
- Some NIH-funded labs run parallel clinical studies or seek volunteers for related work. To check, contact the principal investigator or institution listed above.
- For full project details, budget, and progress reports, visit the official NIH RePORTER page.