OVC Resources Funding, Training & Technical Assistance Presenter: Sharron Fletcher Lead Victim Justice Program Specialist OVC Main Line: 202-307-5983 Direct Line: 202-305-2358 Email: Sharron.Fletcher@usdoj.gov Office for Victims of Crime The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is charged by Congress with administering the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), a major source of funding for victim services throughout the Nation. Mission: To enhance the Nation’s capacity to assist crime victims and to provide leadership in changing attitudes, policies, and practices in ways that promote justice and healing for all victims. Crime Victims Fund (CVF) Authorized by the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) of 1984, as amended, Title 42 U.S.C. §§ 10601-10608. The VOCA amendment formally established OVC within the Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice in 1988 to administer the Crime Victims Fund (CVF). Crime Victims Fund (CVF) The CVF is comprised of fines, criminal penalties, and bond forfeitures from convicted federal defendants— no taxpayer dollars are used. It was one of the first major sources of funding to support national efforts to assist crime victims and the only federal source to address victims of all types of crimes. The Fund supports statutorily created programs: • Children’s Justice and Assistance Act of 1986 (CJA), Public Law 99401; • State Crime Victim Compensation Programs; • State Crime Victim Assistance Programs; • National scope training and technical assistance (TTA), compliance efforts, demonstration programs, and support for direct services to federal crime victims; and, • Antiterrorism Emergency Reserve Fund. Crime Victims Fund (CVF) The CVF also supports DOJ operational costs via statutory set-asides (P. Law 107-77) for: • 170 EOUSA Victim Witness Coordinators and Advocates • 134 FBI Victim-Witness Specialists • Federal Victim Notification System For more information visit: http://www.ovc.gov/pubs/crimevictimsfundfs/intro.html www.ovc.gov/vision21 Vision 21 designs a philosophical and strategic framework to transform the response to victims of crime in this country. • • • Literature reviews provided a foundation for examining the current state of affairs in the crime victim services field. Stakeholder input and recommendations from traditional and nontraditional arenas were gathered to inform the transformation of the field. The Vision 21 report synthesizes the findings and presents a set of recommendations to drive broad, cross-cutting strategic change in the victim assistance field. This is the first comprehensive assessment of the victim assistance field in nearly 15 years and is an opportunity for real change in the role of victim services in the Nation’s overall efforts to ensure the safety and well-being of communities. OVC Funding Opportunities FY 15 funding opportunities = TBD Check these websites regularly for updates: http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/Solicitation.aspx and www.grants.gov OVC Funding Opportunities Potential topic areas for FY 15 funding: – Fellowships • Translating Research to Practice – Responses to Tribal Victims – Language Access for Service Providers – Services for Victims in Wrongful Conviction Cases – Services for Men & Boys of Color OVC Resource Center • Mission – Link OVC's publications and program information to victim services and allied professionals through the National Criminal Justice Reference Service (NCJRS) and other avenues. • About OVCRC/NCJRS – www.ncjrs.gov • Library – www.ncjrs.gov/library.html • Reference & Referral – www.ncjrs.gov/App/QA/SearchQA.aspx OVC Online Resources OVC Website (www.ovc.gov) – Navigation/Homepage – Topical Pages – US Resource Map National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (www.ovc.gov/ncvrw) – Dates, Theme, Colors – Resource Guide – Events OVC Online Resources Online Directory of Crime Victim Services (www.ovc.ncjrs.gov/findvictimservices) – Searchable by location, type of victimization, type of agency, and services. HELP for Victim Service Providers Web Forum (www.ovc.ncjrs.gov/ovcproviderforum) – Victim service providers and allied professionals share ideas/best practices. OVC Online Resources OVC News & Program Updates (http://www.ovc.gov/news/programupdates.html) – A valuable tool for sharing information about OVC initiatives, events, and other items of special interest. OVC Gallery (www.ovc.gov/gallery) – Highlights multimedia products that promote crime victims’ rights and services. OVC Online Resources VOCA Contacts by State (http://www.ovc.gov/map.html) – An interactive map that provides contact info for VOCA compensation and assistance agencies across the country, along with contact info for local service providers. National Calendar of Victim Assistance-Related Events (www.ovc.ncjrs.gov/ovccalendar) – Locate, plan, and promote events online, both local and nationwide. Contact OVCRC OVC Resource Center Phone: 800-851-3420 or 301-519-5500 (TTY 301-947-8374) Ask OVC: http://ovc.ncjrs.gov/askovc/ Order OVC publications online at: http://www.ncjrs.gov/App/Publications/AlphaList.aspx For more information about OVCRC visit: http://www.ovc.gov/resourcecenter/index.html OVC TTAC builds the capacity of the field to serve crime victims by providing comprehensive, quality training and technical assistance (TTA) to victim service providers and allied professionals. www.ovcttac.gov You do not have to be an OVC grantee to use TTAC. OVC TTAC Resources Needs Assessment and Evaluation In-person and Online Training Customized Training and Technical Assistance Legal Assistance and Human Trafficking TTA VictimLaw Support to SVAAs Professional Development Scholarships Consultant Network How TTAC Can Help Customized TTA Specialized TTA to meet your organization’s needs. All TTA is designed to help build capacity and improve the quality of services offered to crime victims. OVC TTAC staff will work with you to assess needs and create a plan for TTA to develop strategies that address underserved victim populations or emerging. How TTAC Can Help Training by Request Gather a multi-disciplinary team or group of allied professionals serving crime victims in your district, arrange a meeting space, and select a training of your choice from the OVC TTAC Training Catalog. The trainers and materials come directly to you at no cost. How TTAC Can Help Professional Development Scholarships Support for local victim service professionals, including local law enforcement, to attend trainings and conferences that will enhance their ability to work with victims of crime. Eligibility criteria for this reimbursement program are described on the website: www.ovcttac.gov/views/HowWeCanHelp/dspP Dscholarship.cfm How TTAC Can Help Legal Assistance for Victims Offer TTA resources for the legal community that provide attorneys across the country with the tools they need to increase their knowledge base about crime victim issues and increase their capacity to provide pro bono or no-cost legal representation to crime victims. Online Training Victim Assistance Training Online (VAT Online) (www.ovcttac.gov/VATOnline) 35-40 hour basic victim advocacy web-based training program that offers victim service providers and allied professionals the opportunity to acquire the basic skills and knowledge they need to better assist victims. Online Training ID Theft Victim Assistance Online Training & Toolkit (https://www.ovcttac.gov/identitytheftnetwork/?tab=1) Online Training Professional Skill-Building Institutes — Develops critical skills for professionals working with victims Leadership Institute — Enhances skills and abilities to manage and sustain programs Downloadable Instructor Materials Ethics in Victim Services Sexual Assault Advocate Counselor Training Victim Impact: Listen and Learn Human Trafficking E-Guide https://www.ovcttac.gov/TaskForceGuide/eguide/ Newly expanded and enhanced to provide practical information on the creation and day-to-day operation of human trafficking task forces. Includes new sections and strategies to strengthen multidisciplinary collaboration, increase victim identification and improve victim assistance response, enhance victim-centered investigation, and build stronger prosecution strategies. VictimLaw A comprehensive, searchable database of state and federal victims’ rights statutes, Tribal laws, constitutional amendments, court rules, administrative code provisions, and summaries of related court decisions and attorney general opinions. Such ready access to information can advance the cause of crime victims’ rights by facilitating the exercise, implementation, and enforcement of those rights. https://www.ovcttac.gov/identitytheftnetwork/?tab=1 Elder Abuse Training for Legal Service Providers An interactive online training course that teaches legal aid and other civil attorneys how to identify and respond to elder abuse. This training course includes a variety of information, tools, and resources, from interactive client scenarios to printable materials. Three training modules are currently available with additional modules set to be added in 2015. www.ovcttac.gov/views/dspLegalAssistance.cfm?tab =1#onlinetraining) Responding to Transgender Victims of Sexual Assault http://www.ovc.gov/pubs/forge/index.html This guide offers practical tools to promote understanding and support of transgender victims of sexual assault, whether you are an attorney, health care provider, law enforcement officer, emergency medical personnel, advocate or therapist. Read “Transgender 101” first for a basic understanding of what it means to be transgender and then explore the rest of the guide to learn how you can be a source of support and care for individuals in this high-risk population. Legal Assistance for Crime Victims Training https://www.ovcttac.gov/views/dspLegalAssistance.cfm Through this TTA Initiative, OVC TTAC and the National Crime Victim Law Institute are working collaboratively to develop and deliver training and provide technical assistance to the legal community. TTA provides attorneys with the tools they need to increase their knowledge base about crime victim issues and increase their capacity to provide pro bono or no-cost legal representation to crime victims. Contact Us Web: www.ovcttac.gov Phone: 1–866–OVC-TTAC (1–866–682–8822) Monday-Friday, 8:30-5:00 EST Fax: 703–225–2338 TTY: 1–866–682–8880 E-mail: TTAC@ovcttac.org OVC is social! Follow @OJPOVC on Twitter. Watch OVC on YouTube. Like OVC on Facebook. Pls & thx!