Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners Expands Mobile Forensic Nursing Services into the Coastal Bend Region
Expansion increases access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) and trauma-informed care across underserved Coastal Bend communities.
HOUSTON, Texas — May 20, 2026 — Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners (TXFNE) announced today the expansion of its mobile forensic nursing program into the Corpus Christi and Coastal Bend region through a collaborative initiative with the Coastal Bend Regional Advisory Council (CBRAC) and regional healthcare partners including Corpus Christi Medical Center (HCA Healthcare Gulf Coast Division), CHRISTUS Spohn Health System, and Refugio County Memorial Hospital.
The program will officially launch at 6:00 a.m. CST on June 14, 2026, significantly expanding access to specialized, trauma-informed forensic nursing services throughout the Coastal Bend.
Through this regional expansion, TXFNE’s forensic nursing team, including specially trained Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs), will provide specialized forensic care at the following hospitals and emergency departments:
CCMC – ER 24/7 Rockport
CHRISTUS Spohn – Beeville
CHRISTUS Spohn – Alice
CHRISTUS Spohn South
CCMC – Bay Area Hospital
CCMC – Doctors Regional Hospital
CCMC – ER 24/7 Northwest
CHRISTUS Spohn – Shoreline
CHRISTUS Spohn – Kleberg
CCMC – ER 24/7 Portland
Refugio County Memorial Hospital
TXFNE’s Coastal Bend expansion will support hospitals and emergency departments serving patients across Aransas, Bee, Brooks, Duval, Jim Wells, Kenedy, Kleberg, Live Oak, McMullen, Nueces, Refugio, and San Patricio counties, helping improve access to specialized forensic nursing services throughout the broader region, including rural communities without local hospital-based forensic nursing programs.
TXFNE’s mobile forensic nursing teams will provide 365/24/7 response coverage across participating facilities, with specially trained nurses able to travel directly to hospitals and emergency departments, typically arriving within approximately 90 minutes of being called.
A medical forensic exam is a specialized healthcare exam provided to victim survivors of violence, including sexual assault and strangulation. These trauma-informed exams may include injury assessment and treatment, evidence collection and documentation, forensic photography, safety planning, advocacy support, and connection to counseling and follow-up resources.
Victim survivors are not required to report to law enforcement in order to receive medical forensic care. Medical forensic exams related to sexual assault are provided at no cost to the patient.
Prior to this initiative, many hospitals and communities throughout the Coastal Bend region faced limited or fragmented access to specialized forensic nursing services. In some cases, victim survivors experiencing violence or sexual assault were required to travel significant distances, wait extended periods of time for care, or encountered hospitals without access to a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) when services were needed.
Timely access to forensic nursing care can be critical for medical treatment, emotional support, safety planning, and preservation of forensic evidence.
TXFNE’s mobile forensic nursing model was designed to help address these gaps in care by expanding timely access to specially trained forensic nurses and trauma-informed services in both rural and underserved communities.
Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners, commonly known as SANEs, are specially trained forensic nurses who provide compassionate, trauma-informed medical care, forensic evidence collection, and support for individuals impacted by violence.
The initiative was developed alongside community stakeholders, including The Purple Door, the region’s sexual assault and domestic violence service provider, and reflects a shared commitment to strengthening support systems and multidisciplinary responses throughout the region. TXFNE also looks forward to continued collaboration with Coastal Bend law enforcement agencies and community partners as services launch.
“We are incredibly proud to expand access to compassionate, trauma-informed forensic care throughout the Coastal Bend,” said Dr. Khara Breeden, DNP, APRN, ACNS-BC, SANE-A, SANE-P, DF-AFN, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Texas Forensic Nurse Examiners. “For far too long, many victim survivors in rural and underserved communities have faced limited or inconsistent access to specialized forensic services. No victim survivor should have to drive hours or wonder whether help will be available during one of the most difficult moments of their life. This expansion represents meaningful progress toward ensuring survivors receive timely, high-quality care delivered with dignity, compassion, and clinical excellence.”
“CBRAC is proud to support this regional effort to strengthen access to trauma-informed forensic care for victim survivors throughout the Coastal Bend,” said Kathryn Gomez, Division Director of RAC Systems of Care, Coastal Bend Regional Advisory Council. “By bringing together hospitals, advocacy partners, EMS, and forensic nursing professionals, this initiative helps ensure survivors across both urban and rural communities can access specialized care and support closer to home.”
To support the expansion, TXFNE has hired locally based forensic nursing professionals from the Coastal Bend region, further strengthening specialized healthcare resources available within the community.
The Coastal Bend expansion represents one of TXFNE’s largest regional growth initiatives to date and reflects the organization’s ongoing commitment to improving equitable access to forensic nursing services across Texas.
Media Contact:
Khara Breeden
Khara@txfne.com
281-816-7174