Slapak-Fugate Recognized for Sexual Assault Leadership

[Platteville] —- Southwest Health is proud to announce Terri Slapak-Fugate, Director of Emergency and Urgent Care Services, was recently awarded the Rural Wisconsin Health Cooperative’s (RWHC) Rural Health Ambassador Award. The award recognizes health care employees who have gone above the call of duty in promoting their organizations while making significant contributions to rural health. Recipients of the honor are those who demonstrate a history of strengthening healthcare in rural communities.

In her emergency services leadership role, Ms. Slapak-Fugate has championed Southwest Health’s development of the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) program that provides training and certifications for hospital personnel on the special needs of sexual assault victims. The program also seeks to reduce sexual assaults by improving evidence collection, thereby facilitating prosecutions and increasing conviction rates. The SANE program at Southwest Health helps create a healthier community because sexual assault is a problem for the entire community, not just victims.