May 2021 Featured Resources

May 5, 2021, is Missing and Murdered Indigenous Persons Awareness Day

In a Presidential Proclamation, President Biden states "we remember the Indigenous people who we have lost to murder and those who remain missing and commit to working with Tribal Nations to ensure any instance of a missing or murdered person is met with swift and effective action."

In a video message, OVC Acting Director states "Just 2 weeks ago we marked the 40th anniversary of National Crime Victims’ Rights Week. In his NCVRW Proclamation, President Biden made it clear that support for crime victims in American Indian and Native Alaskan communities is a priority of his administration, and it is certainly a priority at the Office for Victims of Crime."

OVC encourages the field to learn about the following programs that provide services to Tribes to help address the crisis of missing and murdered American Indians and Alaska Natives.

National Center for Missing & Exploited Children (NCMEC)

NCMEC operates a national, toll free hotline (800-843-5678) to report missing children. NCMEC case managers are available to work directly with families and Tribal law enforcement agencies investigating missing children’s cases.

NCMEC also provides assistance to Tribal law enforcement by deploying Team Adam Consultants. These consultants provide rapid, onsite assistance to agencies and families during critical cases involving missing children. Learn more about the work of Team Adam by visiting the NCMEC Case Resources page and access the NCMEC blog for more information about resources and technical assistance for Native American communities.

Tribal Resource Tool

This OVC-funded online directory features contact information for service providers throughout the Nation that offer crime victim services to American Indian and Alaska Native survivors. Search the Tribal Resource Tool to locate these services.

Operation Lady Justice

Operation Lady Justice seeks to enhance the operation of the criminal justice system and address the legitimate concerns of American Indian and Alaska Native communities regarding missing and murdered people – particularly missing and murdered women and girls. Visit the Operation Lady Justice website for more information about this initiative.
 

Older Americans Month

The Nation commemorates Older Americans Month every May. In his Presidential proclamation, President Biden states “We are committed to ensuring older Americans can easily access appropriate services they need to stay safe and healthy as they age.”

During Older Americans Month, we highlight the OVC FY 2021 Transforming America's Response to Elder Abuse: Enhanced Multidisciplinary Teams (E-MDTs) for Older Victims of Financial Exploitation and Abuse funding opportunity. Under this program, OVC seeks applications to support the development or enhancement of multidisciplinary teams and to strengthen the capacity of E-MDTs to better identify and respond to cases of elder abuse and more comprehensively serve and support victims of financial exploitation. Read more and apply by Monday, June 28, 2021.

Another resource includes the National Elder Fraud Hotline launched by the U.S. Department of Justice last year, and operated by OVC. Experienced hotline case managers are standing by to provide victims of financial fraud aged 60 or older with personalized support by assessing their needs and identifying relevant next steps. Call the National Elder Fraud Hotline at 833-FRAUD-11 (833-372-8311) from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. eastern time, Monday through Friday.

In 2020, OVC released a series of publications and multimedia products to help the field provide effective services to victims of elder abuse and financial exploitation. These materials, hosted by DOJ’s Elder Justice Initiative, include, but are not limited to—

• Strategies and Training to Address Greater Elder Safety: this curriculum is designed to educate teams of judicial, justice, and community professionals about financial exploitation and elder abuse.
• Lifting Up the Voices of Older Survivors: this collection of nine training videos and accompanying discussion guides features the voices of older survivors, a digital dashboard for hospital emergency departments to screen for elder abuse victims, and curriculums to help victim advocates become elder justice advocates.

Discover additional resources that can help organizations respond to elder abuse on the Elder Fraud and Abuse section of the OVC website and DOJ’s Elder Justice Initiative website.
 

National Police Week

President Biden proclaimed Saturday, May 15, 2021, as Peace Officers Memorial Day and May 9 through May 15, 2021, as National Police Week. In his proclamation, President Biden states "This country asks much of our Federal, State, Tribal, and local police officers and deputies, and it is our solemn responsibility to ensure that those who protect and serve have the training, resources, and support they need to do their jobs well."

The National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, Fraternal Order of Police/Fraternal Order of Police Auxiliary, and Concerns of Police Survivors annually lead the Nation in commemorating National Police Week. Register to attend a Virtual Candlelight Vigil to honor fallen law enforcement officers on Thursday, May 13, 2021, at 8:00 p.m. eastern time.

In addition to virtual activities from May 9 through 15, in-person activities are planned this year from October 13 through 17, including an in-person candlelight vigil on October 14.

Visit the Law Enforcement section of our site to learn about OVC support for programs that help law enforcement personnel compassionately and effectively meet the needs of crime victims, including the recently released, OVC-funded Pathways Toward Collective Healing: Law Enforcement and the Communities they Serve: Collective Healing in the Wake of Harm.

With funding from OVC, the International Association of Chiefs of Police released Pathways Toward Collective Healing to address the challenges faced by first responders, victim service providers, law enforcement officers, and investigators in the aftermath of a high-profile incident. Learn how five law enforcement agencies worked together with their community partners to explore ways to improve public safety; build trust and legitimacy; and provide assistance in a comprehensive, victim-centered, and trauma-informed way to those most at risk.

The Law Enforcement section our site also features publications, multimedia, and other resources.