Boundary Community Hospital Receives Jeff Martin Leadership Award for Second Consecutive Year
The award recognizes BCH’s proactive steps to improve the care of sexual assault victims through specialized training, policy reform, and inter-agency collaboration. Historically, rural emergency departments like BCH’s five-bed unit had minimal training and resources to care for survivors of sexual assault. That changed in 2022 when BCH hosted its first 40-hour Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE-A) didactic course, training five nurses under the guidance of Idaho’s SANE/SART Coordinator.
Since then, BCH has developed a comprehensive SANE program with six trained nurses, implemented trauma-informed care practices, introduced forensic documentation equipment, and is now planning to work toward the formation of a formal Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) in collaboration with Idaho State Police, local advocates, law enforcement, and our prosecutor’s office.
“This award represents more than leadership—it reflects our deep responsibility to the most
vulnerable in our community,” said Regina Gallette, Nursing Manager at BCH. “Our goal is to
ensure that no sexual assault survivor in Boundary County has to leave town to receive compassionate, professional care.”
The need for such programs is urgent. According to the National Sexual Violence Resource
Center:
● 1 in 5 women and 1 in 71 men in the U.S. will be raped at some point in their lives.
● In 8 of 10 cases, the victim knows the perpetrator.
● Rural areas often lack trained staff and access to timely forensic exams, delaying justice
and healing.
BCH’s trauma-informed approach prioritizes patient autonomy, emotional safety, and access to
resources. Survivors receive comprehensive support—including head-to-toe exams, prophylactic treatment, psychosocial assessments, and coordination with victim advocates.
With continued leadership and training, BCH is setting a standard in rural Idaho—where every
survivor has the right to be heard, believed, and cared for close to home.