Elderly and Vulnerable Adult Victims Services on the Colville Reservation

OVC’s mission is to enhance the nation’s capacity to assist crime victims and provide leadership in changing policies and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime. OVC achieves this mission, in part, by administering competitive award programs supported by the federal Crime Victims Fund to develop innovative training, technical assistance, and direct service projects designed to improve the overall quality of services delivered to crime victims.

The overall goal of the Tribal Victim Service program is to provide support to Indian tribes to improve services for victims of crime. Under this program, funding supports a range of activities including needs assessment, strategic planning, program development and implementation, program expansion, and other activities to address the victim service needs of tribes.
With this funding, Colville will add a new Social Worker for elderly and vulnerable adults’ victims advocacy; update their policy & procedures, as well as the elderly and vulnerable adult abuse tribal code; educate the public regarding the signs of abuse and the process for reporting abuse or exploitation of elderly or vulnerable adult victims; provide assistance to victims by establishing a system of warm referrals, transportation, and shelter in times of emergency for victim to eliminate possible re-traumatization; and plan for sustainability by evaluating the program based upon victims’ responses and measured success. Objectives include hiring a new Victims Advocacy Social Worker, increasing community knowledge through training, developing linkages to services for victims and ensuring victims can get to appointments, and planning for program continuation beyond grant funding.
CA/NCF