There are no major issues known that hinder Alabama's victim assistance programs in providing assistance to crime victims in filing for compensation benefits and in informing victims fo compensation eligibility.

Through the efforts of the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence and its eighteen shelter members, victims of family violence in all sixty-seven counties in the state of Alabama have access to safe shelter and other related services.  Most of these counties also have active Domestic Violence Task Forces that are comprised of professionals from many disciplines, including law enforcement, prosecution, social services, etc.  The basic mission of these task forces is to coordinate a comprehensive response to the needs of domestic violence victims.  



Similarly, the Alabama Network of Children?s Advocacy Centers works to ensure that the state is canvassed with multi-disciplinary services in response to victims of child physical and sexual abuse.  There are twenty-six centers across the state that receive VOCA funding.  



There are also ten VOCA-funded programs that provide services to adult victims of sexual assault.  Two of these are campus-based programs that address the high incidence of ?date rape? and dating violence.  The Alabama Coalition Against Rape is the state membership agency that coordinates the delivery of services to victims of sexual assault.   There is also a growing number of Sexual Assault Response Team/Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners programs in Alabama.  

The use of the Internet for predatory criminal purposes has led to a significant increase in federal crimes.  Local law enforcement and prosecution agencies, as well as VOCA-funded social services agencies, coordinate with federal law enforcement agencies in these efforts.  



Federal organizations within Alabama include the Tennessee Valley Authority, Maxwell Air Force Base, Fort Rucker and Fort McClellan.  Victims? services programs (VOCA subgrantees) are located within each of these four areas of the state and coordinate their services to these federal organizations.  Subgrantees network with U. S. Attorney?s Offices, the Federal Bureau of Investigation, and federal probation officers, utilizing their expertise by participating in local and statewide committees and providing consultation for setting policies to serve victims of crime.  

The Law Enforcement and Traffic Safety (LETS) Division of the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs (ADECA) has within its structure a Program Integrity Section.  This section employs two full-time program monitors whose time is fully dedicated to performing site visits to LETS subgrantees, including the subrecipients of the Victims of Crime Act.  VOCA programs are visited at least once a year, with a follow-up visit scheduled on an as-needed basis.  These site visits have several purposes:  to ensure that all federal funds are being utilized in compliance with the appropriate state and federal regulations; to track the successful completion of the goals and objectives of each program?s application for funding; and to provide technical assistance to subgrantees. 



Additionally, ADECA has an internal audit section that will perform an audit for any program that has fiscal deficiencies. 

Attached are the following:  Progress Reports from the Tri-County Children's  Advocacy Centers and Shoals Crisis Center Rape Response Program.  Also attached are thank you letters that were received by the Montgomery Area Family Violence Program (a domestic violence shelter), Mothers Against Drunk Driving and the Tuscaloosa Children's Center.

The Hispanic population in Alabama continues to grow in significant strides.  Our victims? services providers have worked diligently and collaboratively to develop and implement services that respond to the needs of these victims.  This year, ADECA awarded first-year funding to the Hispanic Interest Coalition of Alabama for the development of a 24-hour Spanish-speaking crisis line for victims of violent crime.  Interpreter assistance is available at many VOCA-funded facilities.  



We are also very pleased to see the progress of the development of services to non-offending caregivers of victims of child physical and sexual abuse.  By providing counseling and advocacy services to these secondary victims of crime, these caregivers are empowered to support and nurture the child victim.  

VOCA administrative funds are used to support salaries and benefits for the state administrator and the program monitoring staff, as well as office supplies and computer equipment for staff.