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2019 Report to the Nation

Fiscal Years 2017 - 2018
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Introduction
Exhibits

Training and Technical Assistance

OVC encourages service providers and allied professionals to strengthen their knowledge, skills, and abilities so that they can provide the best possible services to crime victims throughout the Nation. The OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVC TTAC) leads the agency's efforts to provide such expertise- and capacity-building activities by offering a variety of instructor-led trainings, both in person and online; providing educational opportunities through the National Victim Assistance Academy; and awarding scholarships to eligible professionals and survivors to attend training conferences. OVC TTAC also provides training and technical assistance tailored to the needs of specific service providers, and maintains a comprehensive network of consultants with the expertise needed to inform OVC's capacity-building initiatives.

In FYs 2017 and 2018, OVC TTAC provided indepth training and technical assistance to more than 155 organizations and more than 60,000 individuals, in areas such as human trafficking, terrorism and mass violence, and supporting law enforcement—some of which is discussed in other parts of this report. OVC also supported specialized training and technical assistance in other critical areas.

Enhancing Tribal Communities' Capacity To Serve Victims

OVC funded multiple training and technical assistance awards to increase the ability and capacity of tribal communities to provide assistance for victims of crime. These OVC TTA programs focused on three distinct areas:

  • Financial Management TTA. The goal of this program is to ensure that American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) communities have a strong capacity to successfully manage the financial aspects of their federal awards.
     
  • Programmatic TTA. OVC made two awards to increase the ability of tribal communities to provide comprehensive and culturally appropriate services to crime victims, their families, and the community. This includes training and technical assistance for Indian tribes or designees to assist them in achieving the objectives outlined in their Tribal Victim Services grants.
     
  • Human Trafficking TTA. This program will facilitate the delivery of high-quality, strategically focused, capacity-building training and technical assistance to increase the availability of trauma-informed, victim-centered services for all victims of human trafficking in tribal communities.

Supporting First Responders to Mass Violence

OVC TTAC deploys expert consultants to affected communities to help them assess victims' needs, coordinate victim services, identify resources and gaps in services, develop strategies for victim service providers—including first responders and others who assist victims—and develop a victim needs assessment and draft an application for grant funding through OVC's Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Program. In FY 2018, OVC TTAC provided consultant support to eight communities affected by mass violence.

OVC TTAC also supported mass violence training and intensive technical assistance to more than 10 state and local agencies in FY 2018. This assistance included statewide conference presentations, and reviewing and providing technical assistance on mass violence victim assistance plans. It also featured three webinars—Mass Violence and Communications, Helping Victims of Mass Violence and Terrorism: The First 24–48 Hours, and Helping Victims of Mass Violence and Terrorism: 48 Hours and Beyond—which highlighted significant actions needed to help communities prepare for, and respond to, a mass violence incident. Each webinar drew approximately 300 participants.

Supporting Partnerships To Address Domestic Violence

In FY 2018, OVC provided funding to the National Domestic Violence Housing Technical Assistance Consortium—a collaboration between OVC, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and the Office on Violence Against Women—for technical assistance and resource development. This federal partnership will provide support and encouragement to assist grantees and subgrantees in implementing trauma-informed housing programs by building meaningful partnerships with local domestic violence programs, state domestic violence coalitions, and housing service providers with domestic violence programs.

VictimLaw

OVC TTAC supports VictimLaw, a free, searchable database of more than 25,000 victims' rights laws, such as federal, state, and territorial statutes; tribal laws; state constitutional amendments; court rulings; administrative proceedings; case summaries; and attorney general opinions. In FY 2018, OVC TTAC provided training and technical assistance to 323 people pertaining to VictimLaw. Additionally, 8,570 unique users accessed VictimLaw services.