Funding will build on JPS’ decades of specialized care for survivors of sexual assault and interpersonal violence across North Texas
JPS Health Network joined U.S. Congressman Marc Veasey, law enforcement officials, and community partners Tuesday to recognize a $1 million federal investment to expand forensic nursing services for survivors of sexual assault and interpersonal violence across Tarrant County and surrounding North Texas communities.
The funding, championed by Veasey, will build on JPS’ longstanding leadership in Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) services, strengthening its ability to provide timely, specialized care and extending the reach of its Forensic Nursing Program.
For more than three decades, JPS has cared for adolescents and adults who have experienced sexual assault. Since the program began, JPS has conducted more than 10,000 sexual assault examinations. As a member of the Tarrant County Sexual Assault Response Team (SART), the JPS Forensic Nursing Program serves patients across more than 50 law enforcement jurisdictions in seven North Texas counties.
“For someone who has experienced assault or violence, the decision to seek medical attention can require tremendous courage. The extraordinary care our forensic nursing team provides can make a lasting difference,” said Dr. Karen Duncan, president and CEO of JPS Health Network. “This investment will help us build on that work and reach more survivors throughout Tarrant County.”
The need for these services is significant. According to Tarrant County Public Health’s April 2024 Sexual Violence Data Brief, 1,758 adult sexual assault reports were made to Tarrant County law enforcement agencies between October 2021 and September 2023. In 2023, 480 patients at JPS agreed to receive a sexual assault examination. Of those patients, 62 percent reported knowing the person who assaulted them, and 92 percent were women.
In 2025, JPS’ Forensic Nursing Program cared for more than 1,480 victims of violence and conducted 364 sexual assault examinations, including 76 related to intimate partner violence. The program also recorded 660 physical assault victims, 300 intimate partner violence victims, and 302 medical forensic examinations. In 2026, year to date, the program has served 1,196 victims of violence, including 493 physical assault victims and 249 intimate partner violence victims, and conducted 285 sexual assault examinations and 268 medical forensic examinations.
JPS Forensic Nurse Examiners are registered nurses specially trained to provide medical forensic examinations and trauma-informed care. They assess and treat injuries, collect and preserve evidence when appropriate, help patients understand their options, develop safety plans, and connect them with follow-up services. Throughout the process, they provide compassionate care that respects each patient’s needs, choices and dignity. When requested, they may also provide expert testimony in legal proceedings.
“Forensic nursing bridges healthcare and justice. Our internal struggle has never been the will to do the work; it has always been the availability of trained forensic nurses to conduct these examinations. That is precisely why today matters so much,” said Priscilla Kenyon, BSN, RN, CA-SANE, manager of forensic nursing at JPS. “With this support, we will continue building on the foundation established by those who came before us and strengthen our ability to serve survivors across our community.”
The program works closely with emergency and trauma clinicians, law enforcement, prosecutors, victim advocates, and nonprofit organizations. The Women’s Center of Tarrant County and other community partners offer advocacy, counseling, and crisis intervention to help survivors determine their next steps. As home to Tarrant County’s longest-serving Level I Trauma Center, JPS also plays an important role in the region’s response to serious injuries and violence. This federal funding will help advance this work and reinforce connections among the professionals and organizations serving survivors.
“Our commitment to public safety must also include the people who have experienced violence,” said Congressman Marc Veasey. “We need to ensure that victims have more access to the specialized services they need. JPS is doing a phenomenal job leading in the field of forensic nursing here in North Texas, and I believe this investment will help expand that work, bring this expertise to more communities, and help victims get the help they need.”
The announcement took place during Domestic Violence Awareness Month, highlighting the importance of accessible services and coordinated responses for people affected by sexual assault and interpersonal violence.