VOCA Assistance Highlights
OVC's VOCA Assistance Formula Grant Program supports thousands of victim assistance programs throughout the Nation annually. OVC's funding of these programs—through subgrants to state agencies and local service providers—provides help for individuals, families, and communities recovering from both the immediate and prolonged effects of victimization.
VOCA assistance supports crisis counseling, telephone and onsite information and referrals, criminal justice support and advocacy, emergency shelter, therapy, and other services. Funds can also be used to develop new initiatives that address emerging needs and gaps in services for individuals and communities. In FYs 2017 and 2018, VOCA-funded assistance reached a total of 18,826,776 crime victims.
State Spotlight
Arizona Department of Public Safety
In FYs 2017 and 2018, the Arizona Department of Public Safety received a high volume of reports of teen dating violence made by teenage girls, as increased use of technology allowed descriptions and pictures of incidents to be more easily posted on social media. During the FY 2017–2018 reporting period, the department served an average of 355 victims of teen dating violence per quarter. As a result, victim advocates are improving their efforts to educate teens about internet safety and healthy relationships, and a greater number of high schools have received sexual assault trainings and presentations.
Office of the Texas Governor, Criminal Justice Division
In FY 2018, the Criminal Justice Division of the Office of the Texas Governor's Public Safety Office identified mental health services—including campus-based services—as a priority, and directly contacted public and private universities in Texas to inform them about funding opportunities available to expand victim services programs. The college campus confidential advocate program also provided funding to 11 new locations. Additionally, the Criminal Justice Division provided a $4.5 million subgrant for the Austin Independent School District to develop campus-based mental health services for child victims of crime.
Oregon Department of Justice
In FYs 2017 and 2018, the Oregon Department of Justice expanded collaborative efforts between tribal nations, technical assistance providers, grant-funded programs, and community partners by developing partnerships and improving communication. Tribal partners conducted culture-specific trainings for non-tribal staff to increase their understanding of tribal needs and encourage direct and continued conversation with tribal nations. Tribal representatives also joined advisory committees to ensure that the needs and concerns of tribal victims were represented. Non-tribal victim services providers such as county-based victim service programs, state courts, and child advocacy intervention centers engaged with tribal police and victim service programs on cases involving tribal victims. Most federally recognized tribes participated in trainings and conferences.
In FYs 2017 and 2018, two VOCA-funded non-competitive funding opportunities were made available to federally recognized tribes. Seven tribes received funding to assist victims of domestic and sexual violence, and eight tribes received grants from the Oregon Department of Justice. These funds have been used to provide a broad range of emergency support services for victims, hire additional tribal victim advocates to increase victim service delivery, and cover travel and training expenses for advocates.
In FYs 2017 and 2018, a total of 2,480 victims of crime who received assistance from Oregon subgrantees self-reported as American Indian or Alaska Native.