Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing launches adult forensic interviewing service to support sexual assault investigations

The Texas A&M Health Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing has launched an adult forensic interviewing service designed to strengthen sexual assault investigations and improve the experience of survivors across Brazos County.

The Brazos Valley Forensic Interview Program (BVFIP) provides a centralized approach to forensic interviews, allowing survivors of sexual assault to share their experience with an expert interviewer in a thoughtfully designed, trauma-informed setting while multidisciplinary partners observe in real time via a secure video connection. By reducing the need for multiple interviews, the program aims to minimize retraumatization and support a more coordinated response within the legal system.

Operating out of the Texas A&M University College of Nursing, the federally and state-funded Center of Excellence in Forensic Nursing was established in 2019 to advance forensic nursing education, outreach and research.

The forensic interviewing service program was developed under the leadership of Stacey Mitchell, DNP, founding director of the center and a clinical professor at the College of Nursing, and Laurie Charles, DNP, a clinical assistant professor and one of the center’s forensic nursing experts. It reflects a growing need for adult-focused forensic interviewing services in the region, according to Mitchell and Charles. While local child advocacy centers such as Scotty’s House have long provided structured interview environments for children, comparable services for adult survivors have remained limited.

“This program fills a critical gap in services for adult survivors of sexual assault,” Charles said. “By creating a centralized, trauma-informed space for forensic interviews, we are supporting both survivor well-being and the integrity of the investigative process.”

The service is located at the center’s headquarters in Bryan and offered at no cost to participating agencies as part of the center’s commitment to community partnership and public service.

Local collaborators include the Bryan Police Department, College Station Police Department, Texas A&M University Police Department, Brazos County Sheriff’s Office and Brazos County District Attorney’s Office.

Through this model, law enforcement maintains full ownership of investigations while using the center’s specialized environment and trained forensic interviewer to enhance evidence collection and case coordination.

“The Brazos Valley Forensic Interview Program represents a vital step forward for public safety in our community,” said Jarvis Parsons, the district attorney for Brazos County. “Forensic interviewing is the essential bridge between trauma-informed care and the courtroom, ensuring that every survivor has a safe place to be heard and every case is built on the best possible evidence. This is what modern, compassionate justice for victims looks like in Brazos County.”

The interview space was designed to support trauma-informed practices, ensuring privacy, comfort and functionality for both survivors and multidisciplinary teams. Experts from Scotty’s House and the Sexual Assault Resource Center also advised on the development of the space and protocols.

To learn more about the center’s activities, visit forensic-nursing.tamu.edu.