Fletcher Allen, a Vermont university hospital and medical center, serves all of
Vermont and the northern New York region. Located in Burlington, Fletcher Allen is a regional, academic healthcare center and teaching hospital in alliance with the University of Vermont.
Child Abuse Program Services
The ChildSafe Program at Fletcher Allen
The ChildSafe program is an office-based medical clinic staffed by Vermont Children’s Hospital pediatricians that treat children suffering from sexual abuse, physical abuse, medical abuse, emotional abuse and neglect.
Children who need urgent care will be evaluated first in the Emergency Department by the S.A.N.E. program and referred to the ChildSafe program if appropriate. The ChildSafe program and the S.A.N.E. program work together to provide high-quality care 24 hours per day.
A ChildSafe clinic evaluation includes taking a detailed history and a medical forensic exam. The medical exam allows providers to recognize injuries that are a direct result of the abuse, as well as diagnose and treat any related infections or conditions. The exam also helps ensure that the child gets the needed follow-up including mental health interventions.
The ChildSafe program is able to document any injuries with high-quality digital camera and video, and will do so when appropriate. Please know that patient confidentiality is strictly adhered to in both the ChildSafe program and the S.A.N.E. program. The ChildSafe program welcomes children from all across Vermont and Northern New York. All insurances are accepted.
Pediatric S.A.N.E. Program at Fletcher Allen
A S.A.N.E. (Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner) is a registered nurse specially trained to provide a forensic medical examination and evaluation of sexual trauma, while maximizing the collection of biological, trace and physical evidence and minimizing the patient’s emotional trauma.
Fletcher Allen’s Emergency Department S.A.N.E. program has been active since 1998. In 2006, four Fletcher Allen nurses received special training to care for the needs of children who may have been sexually abused. A pediatric S.A.N.E. nurse is available 24 hours per day, and all Fletcher Allen S.A.N.E nurses are trained to accurately assess children, care for their immediate needs, document findings with photo and video equipment, and refer them for follow up care and evaluation.
Pediatric S.A.N.E. nurses train with physicians at Vermont Children’s Hospital at Fletcher Allen, who are involved with the ChildSafe program, and work closely with our pediatric team to evaluate children after physical assault. They coordinate with police investigators, the ChildSafe Program, the Children’s Advocacy Center, and community providers to ensure children receive the services they need to recover from sexual or physical abuse.
