06/22/2026
The Hennepin Assault Response Team (HART) is proud to partner with Southside Community Health Services on what is believed to be Minnesota's first out-of-hospital forensic exam clinic for survivors of sexual violence, starting July 1st, 2026.
This is the vision of former HART sexual assault nurse examiner (SANE) and Southside Medical Director Sheila Kennedy, who spent more than 15 years working toward a true one-stop space for survivors. Wrap-around services available in the thoughtfully designed space include mental health care, STI screenings and treatment, and partnerships with organizations serving Latino, African immigrant, Native American, LGBTQ+, and Deaf communities. Our SANEs are on call to conduct forensic exams as part of that full continuum of trauma-informed, survivor-centered care.
"When you design a system for the margins, the people who are on the outside, you're actually serving everyone." (Katie Meinhardt, ThinkSelf, via MinnPost June 2026)
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📷 HART Nurse Manager Breanna Heisterkamp and Southside Medical Director Sheila Kennedy at the new clinic on East Lake Street; images of the exam space.
image description:
Photo of Breanna and Sheila
Two women wearing lanyards and ID badges stand together smiling inside a modern building with large windows and natural light.
Exam room
A quiet, modern medical exam room with a teal recliner, neutral walls, frosted glass window, potted plants on the windowsill, and an adjustable overhead exam light.
Exam space
A quiet, modern exam space with light wood cabinets, a clean speckled countertop, a small potted plant, and a frosted glass window with a plant on the sill.
