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VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT VICTIM ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM 2002 CALIFORNIA STATE WIDE ASSISTANCE REPORT Prepared By: California Office of Criminal Justice Planning 1130 K Street Suite LL60 Sacramento, CA 95814-3939 tel: (916)323-7736
STATE FUNDING INFORMATION
A. THE ANNUAL AMOUNT ALLOCATED TO THE VICTIM ASSISTANCE PROJECTS: 1. Appropriations $ 5,304,000 2. Criminal Fines and Penalities $ 15,519,000 3. Assessments $ 0 4. Other $ 0 TOTAL:$ 20,823,000
B. TOTAL NUMBER OF AGENCIES FUNDED FROM THE FEDERAL GRANT: 306
C. NUMBER OF SUBGRANTS FUNDED FROM THIS FEDERAL GRANT: 306
VICTIM STATISTICS
A. THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS SERVED BY TYPE OF VICTIMIZATION:
NO. OF NO. OF VICTIMS SERVED VICTIMS SERVED 6,260 1. Child Physical Abuse 4,257 7. Adults Molested as Children 28,076 2. Child Sexual Abuse 945 8. Survivors of Homicide Victims 3,094 3. DUI/DWI Crashes 6,014 9. Robbery 249,899 4. Domestic Violence 20,659 10. Assualt 29,785 5. Adult Sexual Assault 30,181 11. Other 5,721 6. Elder Abuse TOTAL: 384,891
B. THE NUMBER OF VICTIMS WHO RECEIVED THE FOLLOWING SERVICES:
NO. OF VICTIMS SERVED 198,612 1. Crisis Counseling 324,155 2. Followup 32,135 3. Therapy 30,272 4. Group Treatment/Support 432,161 5. Shelter/Safehouse 332,402 6. Information/Referral (in-person) 298,868 7. Criminal Justice Support/Advocacy 152,724 8. Emergency Financial Assistance 85,612 9. Emergency Legal Advocacy 194,585 10. Assistance in filing Compensation Claims 62,885 11. Personal Advocacy 384,896 12. Telephone contact Informational/Referral 260,707 13. Other TOTAL: 2,790,014
A. EFFORTS TO PROMOTE PUBLIC AND PRIVATE AID TO CRIME VICTIMS: Efforts to promote coordinated public and private efforts within the community to aid crime victims include the following: Victim/Witness Assistance California statute requires all Victim Witness Centers to coordinate outreach efforts, informing private and public entities about available victim services in California. The program also calls for coordinated training of law enforcement, related criminal justice agencies, and other victim service providers, including staff in domestic violence shelters, sexual assault counseling centers, and hospital emergency rooms. Representatives from Victim Witness Assistance Centers coordinate at the local level in serving on committees, task forces, and boards of representative agencies providing criminal justice and related services. At the state level, the Victim Witness Coordinating Council (VWCC) is comprised of all Victim Witness Assistance Centers throughout the State. The Council, in coordination with the California District Attorney’s Association (CDAA), conducts and promotes training and outreach to all levels of the criminal justice system and community based organizations that assist homicide, domestic violence, sexual assault, child, and elder abuse victims. At the local level, each Victim Witness Assistance Center is required as a condition of grant funding, to conduct regular and routine outreach to advise and identify crime victims. This involves multilingual presentations and developing operational agreements between community services representatives in the criminal justice system and in the community at large. Another good example of California’s promotion of public and private cooperation in victim services is in the area of Elder Abuse. Elder Abuse Advocacy and Outreach projects are required to establish or augment a current service network in their community. The network must include law enforcement, district attorney, public and private social service agencies, volunteer community organizations, and any other related public or private agency involved in working with elder Americans. Several of these community networks have created a synergy beyond the capabilities of the individual agencies to address the growing incidence of elder abuse. In other victim-service programs, including the Victim/Witness Assistance Program, Special Victims Assistance Program, and the Special Emphasis Victim Assistance Program, grantees are encouraged by OCJP to attend community events to promote the available services. Grantees provide promotional items with the program’s name and phone number to persons who peruse their booth. Finally, public-private coordination is the recent collaboration coordinated by OCJP between the California Alliance of Domestic Violence (CAADV), the VWCC, the California Coalition Against Sexual Assault (CALCASA), and California Coalition for Youth (CCY). This collaboration, known as the Victim Programs Advisory Committee (VPAC), has brought together representatives of public and private agencies to improve the coordination of services to victims of crimes that may be served by more than one agency. Domestic Violence Victim Assistance The Domestic Violence Assistance Program (DVAP) Guidelines require all 75 projects establish, maintain and participate in a network of local community service to ensure an appropriate coordinated response to domestic violence victims. The DVAP projects work to develop a strong foundation based on a formal referral system. This referral system is built on strong collaborative relationships with law enforcement, social service agencies, court personnel, city and county departments. These domestic violence service providers are encouraged to coordinate with emergency medical treatment facilities, which respond, treat and provide information and referrals to domestic violence victims. Operational Agreements or Memorandums of Understanding must be established with each of the public and private agencies. The collaboration between the domestic violence service providers offers a vast array of necessary services providing a comprehensive continuum of care. Specific examples of these collaborative efforts include: A statewide network of domestic violence shelters provide safe placement of domestic violence (DV) victims; Community food banks, television and radio stations as well as local newspapers increase awareness, conduct outreach and spread information. A coalition of DV agencies, media entities and city and county departments organize media campaigns. Community service agencies provide counseling, training and outreach. These agencies include faith based organizations and city/county social services; Hospitals and medical professionals provide referrals, aid in emergency response, and participate in cross training efforts; HUD and local housing authorities provide funding and resources for dealing with the shortage of housing and develop ways to transition DV victims into safe and affordable housing. Volunteers and interns are recruited from Universities and Senior Citizen organizations. These organizations also spread domestic violence information services. County Death Review Teams and DV Coordinating Councils review the current state of domestic violence incidents in local communities; Local Taxi-Cab companies assist with emergency transportation; County Departments develop Domestic Violence Courts where specially trained judges hear domestic violence related cases; Two OCJP funded projects; the Statewide California Coalition for Battered Women and the California Alliance Against Domestic Violence provide training, technical assistance and serve as a resource on DV statewide. Sexual Assault Victim Assistance Each Rape Crisis Center (RCC) is required as a condition of receiving grant funds, to promote coordinated public and private efforts to crime victims within the community services. To demonstrate a formal system of networking and coordination with other agencies, each RCC must develop operational agreements describing coordinated services. RCCs are required to have operational agreements that include, but are not limited to: law enforcement agencies, District Attorney’s Offices, medical providers which conduct forensic sexual assault examinations, Victim/Witness Assistance Projects, therapists and/or mental health providers, and agencies to which the Center refers advocacy and/or accompaniment services. In addition, many RCCs work collaboratively as a part of the multidisciplinary Sexual Assault Response Team (SART) to reduce the amount of retraumatization experienced by victims. The RCCs meet regularly with local social service, medical, and law enforcement agency representatives to improve services for victims, address any unmet needs, and coordinate outreach and education for the community. Finally, Sexual Assault Awareness Month (SAAM) activities assist in the promotion of a coordinated public and private effort to assist sexual assault victims. “Speak Out Against Sexual Assault” posters, postcards, bookmarks and other printed materials were produced in four new languages, including: Hmong, Vietnamese, Russian and Laotian, in addition to Spanish and English versions. In all, 288,000 pieces were produced and distributed to RCCs statewide. Informational packets for SAAM containing new materials, including sample news editorials, radio Public Service Announcements, outreach materials for the religious communities, new proclamations, media tips, talking points, etc. were distributed statewide. In addition, a statewide Open House was held during April where the 85 rape crisis centers provided “tours” of their respective facilities with staff, volunteers and survivors on hand to discuss resources available and how the services impact individuals and the community in a positive way. It was a tremendous success. Children Victim Services Assistance VOCA funds continue to improve services to child victims by supporting direct service treatment programs, and assistance and encouragement in filing for crime victim’s compensation. VOCA funds provide free services to child victims of crime, especially low income, who otherwise would not receive help. Child Abuse Treatment (CHAT) projects are required to coordinate services and develop formal referral procedures with law enforcement, social service agencies, court personnel, and city and county departments, such as the district attorney’s office, probation department, and mental health departments. In an effort in assuring a coordinated assistance to crime victims, CHAT projects throughout the state participate in councils composed of private and public agencies which provide multi-disciplinary services to victims of family violence in their respective counties. These regularly held meetings are to help ensure coordination and cooperation amongst agencies; allow for professional case-conferencing regarding common clients; discuss current issues affecting the delivery of services; and share information affecting crime victim compensation and other pertinent victim issues. CHAT project staff are being placed in satellite sites to facilitate coordination and generate referrals. Staff may be out-stationed at schools, Family Resource Centers, and at their county’s Children’s Protective Services (CPS), or District Attorney’s Office, creating opportunities to impact the way in which services are provided. By co-locating, staff are able to access victims at the time they are in crisis, provide immediate assessments, make referrals for counseling, and explain court processes and procedures. CHAT projects are often members of county child abuse response teams which in partnership with public and private agencies inclusive of law enforcement, medical facilities staff and crisis response agencies provide criminal justice advocacy to children. The child abuse response teams respond as part of a multi-disciplinary team on acute physical and sexual abuse cases of children at local hospitals. This has improved the securing of crime scenes, gathering evidence, and locating offenders and making arrests, as well as reducing the problem of children experiencing multiple interviews. CHAT projects attend monthly interagency council meetings throughout the county. These councils consist of mental health professionals, school district staff, law enforcement representatives, community leaders, and county service workers who promote efforts to aid crime victims. CHAT projects work with the county Department of Education and school personnel to provide information concerning available services and follow-up support and referrals. OCJP provided Parent Child Interaction Therapy (PCIT) training throughout California to therapists who work in nineteen VOCA funded child abuse treatment centers. Training is completed for the thirteen centers who began training in 2000, and is continuing with the six centers receiving funding in 2001. It is OCJP’s goal to begin training additional CHAT projects on PCIT in 2002. PCIT is an intensive treatment program for child victims of abuse, used with different population and in different settings. Traditionally, treatment has focused on teaching parents child management techniques. PCIT uses a bug-in-the-ear device to provide live coaching to parents interacting with their child, with the observing therapist providing auditory commands on the other side of a one-way mirror to improve the quality of their relationships with their children and to develop non-abusive discipline skills. PCIT is a dyadic intervention that is highly effective in addressing significant family problems, decreasing child behavior problems, improving parenting skills, and enhancing the quality of parent-child relationships. In addition, OCJP began funding five Native American CHAT program in 2001. The purpose of this program is to provide direct services that are culturally appropriate to Native American child abuse victims. Culturally appropriate services include, but are not limited to: Native American Youth Society Groups, Indian Girl Groups, Youth Drum Groups, and Dance Groups. Finally, OCJP also began fund the CHAT Strategic Humane Intervention Project (SHIP). This project targets abused, neglected, and children exposed to violence. Direct service sites are located in, Sonoma County and San Francisco City. Both project sites coordinate animal assisted therapy with local animal control staff. The program is based on these fundamental beliefs: domestic violence and child abuse goes hand in hand with animal abuse; children who have been abused are more likely to adopt abusive behavior as adults; cruelty is learned; and with practice learned cruelty can be replaced with other learned responses such as compassion, kindness and empathy. The focus of the intervention is the development of empathy and skill in caring for and teaching positive behaviors to human and non-human animals. The focus of the intervention is caring for animals and teaching them desired behaviors using positive reinforcement and a marker signal. At the Humane Society of Sonoma County horticulture therapy is also provided. The therapist/facilitator facilitates small groups of children, or children and their parents, in developing teamwork, allowing for the careful supervision and active participation of all clients. The goal is to teach mastery of positive interactive and empathic skills that people will prefer to the abusive behaviors experienced at home.
B. EFFORTS TAKEN TO SERVE FEDERAL CRIME VICTIMS: All California Victim/Witness Centers are required to serve victims of Federal crimes. Federal Victim/Witness officials provide training to California Victim/Witness Coordinators at the OCJP-required Coordinator’s training course. Federal crime victims receive referrals at the local level to the Federal Victim Witness Coordinator, when appropriate. Centers in major metro areas with Federal Victim/Witness Coordinators, including Sacramento, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and San Diego, have established good working relationships to coordinate services to victims of Federal crimes. Personnel from the U.S. Attorney’s Office and FBI Victim/Witness Assistance Centers attended OCJP-sponsored Community Crisis Response Training. One positive outcome of their attendance has been the strengthening of working relationships between the State and Federal victim service personnel.
C. ACTIVITIES TO IMPROVE THE DELIVERY OF VICTIM SERVICES: Projects funded under VOCA are required to collect data and to transfer the data to the progress reports. Projects must keep accurate records to demonstrate progress in achieving objectives. During programmatic site and monitoring visits conducted by OCJP staff, a review of records, confidentiality, and accuracy are checked and the source data are compared to progress reports. During these visits, OCJP staff provides additional technical assistance to coordinators and advocates for improvement in the service to crime victims. In order to ensure compliance with programmatic and fiscal requirements, OCJP monitors and audits grantees. Six VOCA funded projects received compliance and fiscal monitoring visits during this reporting period. The programmatic portion of these monitoring visits includes a review of key personnel and staffing, compliance with state/federal administrative requirements, program guidelines, and other mandates as applicable. The fiscal portion of the monitoring visits reviews accounting records that support the amounts claimed for reimbursement on the Report of Expenditures and Request for Funds form. Findings resulting from these compliance and fiscal monitoring visits are referred to the assigned OCJP Program Specialist for corrective action. OCJP is continuing the transition to outcome based data collection and evaluation for purposes of determining the efficacy of shelter based services provided. There is continued collaboration with other state agencies, to determine the appropriate outcome measures to be assessed and the goals of the evaluations. OCJP believes that this is a necessary and beneficial undertaking to improve the programs funded under VOCA, and to better service victims by offering more effective services. All projects are required to attend and OCJP training seminar, if offered, during the grant period. Use of VOCA funds for training is highly recommended to ensure that VOCA funded personnel receive appropriate training to enable them to provide quality direct services to crime victims. In addition, OCJP encourages VOCA funded personnel to attend other relevant training throughout the state. During the reporting period, over 200 Victim/Witness Advocates attended OCJP-sponsored Community Crisis Response training. This training was provided to better prepare victim service personnel to respond to large-scale criminal or terrorist incidents. The training moves beyond the traditional one-on-one model of providing direct services such as crisis intervention, and orients the victim advocate to techniques of group crisis intervention. Feedback from course attendees indicated that many felt the training would help them in their daily work, and not just for large-scale incidents. OCJP is continuing the training in FY 2002-2003 and adding an Advanced Crisis Response course for experienced victim advocates. OCJP conducts two 40 hour entry-level trainings of certification for advocates each year. In addition, two advanced advocate trainings of certification are conducted each year. OCJP has also implemented a condition for grant-funded advocates to complete 16 hours of continuing education units on topic pertinent to agency staff providing direct victims services, obtainable at the local level. All VOCA funded Domestic Violence Shelter staff and volunteers who provide direct services to clients are required to attend 40 hours of training on domestic violence intervention. Similarly, child abuse treatment staff and volunteers as well as rape crisis personnel are required to attend 40 hours of training. California funds the Child Abuse training and Technical Assistance (CATTA) Program, which has two training centers; one in the northern part of the state and one in the southern region. On the issues of child abuse, the CATTA program has an extensive website, a quarterly newsletters, and an 800 number. These resources serve to provide the most current information in prevention, intervention and treatment to all providers who serve crime victims. In addition, CATTA projects are available to provide technical assistance to agencies requesting assistance.
D. WAYS VOCA FUNDS HAVE BEEN USED TO ASSIST CRIME VICTIMS: Child Abuse Treatment (CHAT) Program – Case Histories Case History #1 Alex was eleven years old when he refused to return home after school one day because he feared being further physically abused by his step-father. He also described continuing domestic violence toward his mother by the stepfather, and alleged molestation by an older brother. General neglect had reportedly been a problem for the family for a long period. Alex had suffered an injury as an infant that left him with cerebral palsy, seizures, and scholastic difficulties. He was referred to the CHAT Program for counseling shortly after placement in his first foster home. However, Alex had great difficulty adjusting to foster care and was unable to maintain a placement for more than a week or two. He was receiving individual therapy under the CHAT Program to help him to cope with his anger and loss while the foster parents were helped to develop behavior plans in order to maintain him in their homes. After about six months and many different foster homes, a placement was found that was more compatible and Alex stabilized somewhat. He was invited to join a CHAT boys group to assist him in developing more coping and social skills. Seven months later that placement also failed, but Alex has been able to maintain in his current placement almost one year. His continuous weekly sessions with the CHAT therapist have been the one stable factor in his life since he was originally removed from the home. The therapist has frequently worked with the school to develop behavior plans that assist Alex to maintain at school and benefit from his education. Recently, the biological mother has separated from the stepfather and therapeutic visitations with her have been held at the agency. An individual session is held after the visitation for Alex to address his feelings. While Alex continues to exhibit some behavior problems, he has been able to maintain in placement, participate in school activities, and build positive relationships with other children. He had neither the skills nor emotional control to do this before receiving services under the CHAT grant. Case History #2 Tiffany is a 16 year- old high school student who was referred to CHAT for counseling within two weeks of her experiencing an acquaintance rape. Her symptoms included anxiety, depression, nightmares, sleep problems, and inability to spend time alone. Tiffany has experienced multiple traumas including domestic disputes between her mother and father, her parent’s divorce and the Northridge Earthquake. She is diagnosed with PTSD. Therapy has been focused on debriefing and cognitive behavioral work, including feeling expression, and story telling. Therapy has also included multiple collateral contacts with others, including coordination with the school, the DA’s office, and the detective. Tiffany lives with her mother and stepfather. The family’s socioeconomic status appears to be lower middle class. They are Caucasian. Both mother and Tiffany are working. Tiffany is doing well in therapy and has been able to adapt some coping skills, which help her relieve her anxiety. Through her own growth, she has taken an active approach to communication with the DA, and the victim advocate. Recently she was able to ride with the warrant team to identify the home of the perpetrator. She reported that she felt very good about being able to participate in this process. The perpetrator was arrested and is now out on bail. Case History #3 Stephanie is a 17-year-old Mexican American female. The foster care program public health nurse referred Stephanie to CHAT when she came in for her foster care physical exam. Currently Stephanie is living with her paternal grandparents and her younger sibling. Stephanie disclosed her mother’s boyfriend had physically abused her and her younger sibling. As a result, she experienced isolation and sadness. Initially it was difficult for her to talk about the trauma. She would often respond to the therapist by saying, “I don’t know.” As time progressed, she began to open up and talked about her feelings regarding her mother, stepfather, and the trauma. She had the following advice for people who have had a similar experience and are entering into counseling: “I thought coming to counseling for the first time would be weird for me to talk about my problems to a total complete stranger. As my sessions went on, I felt more comfortable about it and started to open more and made me feel better inside me.” Case History #4 Rose is a four-year-old CHAT client who was a victim of sexual abuse by a twelve-year-old male in her previous daycare. Rose was seen for an evidentiary exam, subsequent medical treatment, and follow up care in April, 2002. Rose’s mother was very eager to begin counseling for her daughter right away so she was referred to the CHAT Counseling Program. The CHAT Community Health Program representative had initial contact with Rose’s mother and performed an intake assessment and encouraged her to apply for Victim Witness Assistance. Shortly after, a CHAT therapist was assigned to Rose and her family. Rose is an only child and lives with her biological mother and father. Both parents work full time in professional careers. During the first six weeks of therapy Rose was seen individually. Rose’s symptoms included fear of doctors and shots, fear of disclosing the abuse, sexualized behaviors with peers, irritability, secret keeping, anger towards her parents, frequent nightmares, and reenactment of the trauma through play. Her symptoms are consistent with PTSD. Family therapy was then initiated to address the impact of the trauma on the family, self-blame and guilt felt by the parents, and spousal blame. The parents were also very concerned that Rose would not talk to them about the abuse. Empirically supported treatments were utilized to address Rose’s symptoms and impacts on the family. The treatments included the relationship enhancement skills of PCIT and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy for traumatized children to address symptoms of PTSD. Case History #5 A Latino family of three (single mother and two children 12 and 10) were referred to the CHAT program through the children's school. There was a history of domestic violence and both children were having difficulties in school. Both children were opened as primary victims and assessments were completed for both of them. Both began individual therapy, the information and referral specialist assisted the family through case management and assistance with filing for crime victim compensation. There were about 20 police reports filed in the past, along with numerous restraining orders. Our information and referral specialist also assisted this mother with referrals to the Family Support Division to access child support for her children, and followed-up by helping her to apply for disability. In addition to their individual treatment, the children were both involved in therapeutic groups which facilitated their ability to express themselves regarding the years of violence they endured as witnesses to their mother's abuse. Through the program the family was able to access and utilize Victim Compensation Funds to relocate to another home and neighborhood. The family was extremely pleased and happy to be in a secret location, nicer home, and closer to their school. Case History #6 A 17 year-old adolescent victim of sexual abuse became involved with drugs and began failing in school. Her school counselor referred her to the CHAT program when she threatened to commit suicide. Due to her immigration and socio-economic status, this adolescent did not have medi-cal or insurance to cover her treatment. Furthermore, because her victimization occurred outside of this country, she was ineligible for Victim Compensation funding. The CHAT grant monies allowed for intensive services to be offered, including individual and family psychotherapy along with a substance abuse counseling component. This adolescent continues to receive services, has been sober for a significant period of time, has improved her academic performance considerably, and identifies herself as a “survivor” as opposed to a “victim.” Case History #7 A 10 year-old girl in special education was sexually abused by a close family friend. In addition to the sexual abuse trauma, this child has been exposed to domestic violence. She is the eldest of four children, and lives with her single mother who was overwhelmed by the disclosure of sexual abuse. Efforts were immediately mobilized to offer crisis intervention, and assist with necessary criminal justice advocacy. Since the perpetrator was not incarcerated, the case manager worked closely with this mother and child to ensure the school was aware of the restraining order, as the perpetrator had been seen circling the school grounds. Both child and mother had no insurance or Medi-Cal. Intensive support services including individual and family therapy surrounding the abuse experience were offered as a result of the funds available through the CHAT grant, pending authorization of their Victim Compensation application. The five-year old child in this family was also referred to the PCIT program. Their improvement as a family was evident when the local newspaper recently ran a story about PCIT and this family was featured in the front page of the special report. Domestic Violence Assistance Program – Case History Case History #1 January started off with a domestic violence client who needed to use the shelter program, along with other services the agency provides. The client entered the shelter program eagerly and with enthusiasm. She was very thankful to find the shelter program empowering and supportive. The shelter program manager worked with the safe-house client to set goals for establishing a violence free household after leaving the shelter. The shelter program manager also made sure that the client received ongoing counseling during her stay. She received added support and the ability to identify the characteristics of a non-violent relationship. She gained strength and her independence during her transition from an abusive relationship to independent living. She is very thankful for the support the agency provided and continues to provide her. Case History #2 Toni and her family of four boys entered the shelter in order to escape a very violent and dangerous man. He was very controlling so their escape had to be carefully planned and executed. The family took some time to adjust to the shelter and the boys missed their father tremendously. Not to mention that Toni was also very emotionally attached to her violent husband despite the abuse. While they were at our shelter the older boys found part-time jobs to help support their mom. Toni started taking English classes to improve her English. She also started a garden project in the backyard of the shelter. The family was eventually accepted to a transitional housing program where they will continue to heal from their domestic violence experiences. Toni will continue to improve her English by attending ESL classes. Case History #3 One of the cases a project received from the District Attorney’s office involved charges of stalking, criminal threats, and violation of a restraining order. This pregnant victim was stalked for many months. The defendant had followed her and terrorized her on numerous occasions. He threatened to beat her so she would lose the baby. He threatened to “shoot-up” the neighborhood and “get rid” of the neighbors. The perpetrator was also under investigation for arson. He supposedly set fire to someone’s car and made threats to this person. During incarceration, the defendant wrote letters and made three way phone calls to the victim from jail. The agency had discussion with the victim regarding relocation but she said she felt she was safe because her mother owned the complex she lived in. The victim also knew all the neighbors and they watched out for her. Since the victim did not want to move, ADT installed a panic button. We also provided the victim with a 911 capable cellular phone. As part of the case management, the victim registered with the Victim Compensation Program for counseling and apply for a security system. Within two months, the client received approval for a home alarm system. The alarm system was installed with a panic button. Once the victim had the child, assistance was provided to help with the filing for sole physical custody with no visitation. The judge granted the filing as well as a restraining order for the child. Case History #4 In July of 2002, Carol came to the safe house because her ex-husband was continuing his long history of physically abusing and stalking her. Carol came to the safe house without any source of income except for a small amount of unemployment benefits and no place to live. During her stay at the safe house, Carol attended parenting support groups, domestic violence support groups, individual therapy and case management. In addition, the case manager connected Carol with the following agencies and services: Second Chance (for anger management), Health Care for the Homeless, Jobs Consortium for housing assistance, Mental Health Services, Narcotic Anonymous meetings, and employment assistance. By the end of her stay at the safe house, Carol had found a job with Merry Maids and had been accepted into housing at Bessie Coleman Court, Building Futures With Women and Children, permanent and transitional affordable housing development for survivors of domestic violence. Rape Crisis Program – Case Histories Case History #1 Tricia was raped at gunpoint in her home while living in another state. After arriving in this area, she contacted the Center and found help in our survivor support group “The Circle”. These are her words excerpted from a letter she recently wrote… Well, with everything that happened, I needed to leave that area. The Military agreed to help us and moved us to Vandenberg. They had one thing that I had to do and that was to get help when I got there. The doctors recommended that I go to the rape crisis center in Lompoc… That phone call saved my life. I was able to get in to see Alison Wales and she made me feel so safe. I was able to get in the support group they had there. Through the support group I was able to face feelings that I didn’t want to face. I was able to tell Alison that I was also an abused victim. She helped me start to talk about it. At the same time I was also fighting an eating disorder and self-injury behaviors. Many nights I was in the Emergency room very sick… Alison kept me hanging on. Before I realized it the whole center was pulling for me. If I called and Alison wasn’t in they were right there to help me. Ann McCarty soon became someone very important to me. When Alison would go on vacation, Ann would take that role on for me. There were many nights that I had to call the hotline and Alison would get me through the night… Today I am a whole different person. I am not practicing my eating disorder or my self-injury behaviors; I have learned how to deal with all of the different emotions in a positive way. In closing Alison has helped me see that I am a good person and I deserve to be happy. She never gave up on me and helped me not to give up on myself. I owe my life to the North County Rape Crisis Center. They saved my life and now I plan to use my life to help others. I am very thankful that there is a place around like the Center where people like me can get help, but more importantly I am glad there are people out there like the women at this Center. Case History #2 An advocate responded to a sexual assault case at the hospital. A female, 23 year old Latina survivor had just been assaulted by an acquaintance that had called the survivor at home. The assailant stated that he urgently needed to speak to her. The survivor went to his house to pick him up and he convinced her to stop at a local park. Later he told the survivor that he had dropped something on the back seat of the car and asked her to help him find it. He then raped her. The volunteer/advocate was with the survivor at the time of the exam for support and comfort. The case manager then called the survivor for a 3-day follow up. The survivor was interested in counseling and made an appointment. Several days later, the survivor contacted her Case Manager for an accompaniment to the first interview with the detective and district attorney. A month later, the survivor was accompanied to the preliminary hearing, where she was asked to testify. The case has been pushed forward and is now awaiting trial. After attending the preliminary hearing, the survivor stated that she was very thankful to have had an advocate by her side. The survivor has since enrolled in one of the agency’s Women’s Self Defense classes. Case History #3 Collaboration between two projects has been enacted to help survivors in cases like that of Lana, who is profoundly deaf and mildly developmentally disabled. Lana was raped, sodomized and robbed at gunpoint by a stranger who forced her into a car. A passerby assisted her in calling the police. She was provided with an interpreter for the SART exam and police report. However, a SART counselor/advocate was not called. In addition the project was not notified of this case until two days later. The survivor was sent to a mental health facility on a 51/50 (a psychological medical hold) by the SMART Team. They did no provide interpreters at the facility and left her with no ability to communicate. The survivor lives in a group home where the staff do not sign, the other residents do not sign and they have no TTY. Project staff met with the survivor and a staff member at the group home. She arranged for a TTY to be provided for the survivor through California Telephone Access program. Lana is experiencing nightmares from the assault and states she is very afraid. She wants the assailant put in jail. According to the detective working on the case, Lana was able to identify a mug shot of the assailant and is willing to testify against him. The detective is seeking other victims to strengthen his case before arresting the assailant. The project is providing advocacy and counseling and working with the another agency to facilitate providing the client with a day program for consumers who are Deaf. They are also researching the possibility of locating a group home where some of the other residents are Deaf so the survivor will not feel isolated due to lack of communication. Victim/Witness Assistance Program – Case Histories Case History #1 On March 28, 2002, an 18-year-old victim, exiting service at his church observed seven to eight Asian male suspects assaulting another individual. In an attempt to assist this victim, the 18 year old approached the group, but was stabbed by the unknown suspects. The Victim Service Coordinator contacted the victim to offer program services. A Victims of Crime Compensation Claim was filed for the victim’s medical/dental expenses, wage loss and future mental health counseling expenses. Case History #2 On May 3, 2002, 44-year-old victim, owner of the 6th Korean Video Store, was fatally shot by an unknown suspect during an altercation between two groups of customers. The Victim Service Coordinator contacted the surviving family members to provide crisis counseling, referrals to counseling and orientation to the Criminal Justice System. A State Victims of Crime Compensation Claim was filed for funeral/burial expenses and future counseling. Case History #3 On October 1, 2002, 48-year-old victim was working at his place of business when two armed suspects came in the store and attempted to force their entry in to the secured counter area. In an attempt to save the store, the victim tried to block their entry. The suspects fired two shots at the victim, striking the victim on the head and upper body. At this time the victim’s brother, came into the room and saw his brother on the floor and the two suspects running. He followed them and was also shot in the chest. Both victims were transported to the hospital but died from their wounds. The two suspects fled the scene of the crime, but were later apprehended and are awaiting criminal prosecution. The Victim Witness staff did a home visit with the surviving family members and provided the following services: crisis intervention counseling, assistance in funeral and burial services arrangement and emergency assistance. Further assistance to the family included orientation to criminal justice system, follow-up counseling, creditor intervention, and case status information. Court escort service was also explained and offered. An Emergency Victims of Crime Compensation Application was filed for the victim’s medical and funeral/burial expenses and a Family Member/Dependent Victims of Crime Compensation Application was filed for possible support loss and counseling expenses. Case History #4 On May 16, 2001, 54-year-old victim, while working at his place of business was shot by unknown suspects during an armed robbery. The victim suffered serious injury as a result of this crime and is now permanently disabled from the chest down. The Victim Service Coordinator provided emergency assistance to the victim and his family. A Victims of Crime Compensation Application was filed to cover the victim’s medical, and counseling expenses, in addition to income loss.
E. ISSUES OR TRENDS IMPACTING CRIME VICTIM SERVICES: OCJP has continued to note a tremendous desire from the victim services, law enforcement, and prosecution disciplines for more resources able to be directed to the prevention, investigation, prosecution, and direct services to victims of Elder Abuse. The increased awareness of the problem, coupled with the upcoming rapid shift in demographics toward a larger elder population, has generated a widespread interest in addressing this problem. There is interest in increasing victim service provision within law enforcement agencies, district attorney offices, and private community agencies. A unique aspect of working with elder victims is the prospect that financial crimes can completely wipe out a senior’s ability to provide for themselves, because they are beyond the age of being able to earn a living. Another emerging issue in victim services is the increase in Identity Theft. While victims can receive direct services such as crisis intervention and referral, victim compensation is typically not available to these victims. A serious case can devastate a victim’s financial situation and create great emotional strain. It appears that as our economy relies more heavily on credit/debit card purchases and less on cash, identity theft will continue to plague society. The domestic violence movement continually grows, improves and responds to new issues that arise. The domestic violence voice continues to escalate as the insidious nature of the problem continues to seep into various facets of the community. With each new challenge, the domestic violence community responds. It is a force committed to the eradication of domestic violence and breaking the cycle of violence. One of the most notable emerging trends in the communities' efforts to combat the violence is the targeted outreach to specific communities byaddressing the unique needs that may be required to serve a particular population. Some of the targeted populations include: - Various ethnic groups, including Asian, Hispanic, African American, Hmong, Armenian and Ukrainian women. Bi-lingual services are being offered in an effort to reach many of these women. - Elderly battered women. They are often victims of abuse and neglect and may have special emotional or physical needs that require special accommodations and resources; - Gay, lesbian and transgender victims of domestic violence; - Migrant farm workers, immigrant women and undocumented women; - Women with disabilities, both mental and physical. - Homeless victims of domestic violence. Many domestic violence projects have worked in conjunction with police department to offer a cellular phone distribution program for domestic violence victims. The cellular phones are distributed to DV victims that are pre-programmed with 911 and shelter phone numbers. Children need to unlearn observed violent behavior and learn non-violent behavior. In the case of teens, not only do they need to unlearn and learn behavior, they need to process and deal with the abuse they have observed and, in most cases, experienced. Many agencies statewide are developing programs designed specifically to teach and/or counsel children and teens through various mediums. As the number of battered women seeking services increases, so does the need for long-term transitional housing. Available affordablehousing is difficult to find. This creates problems in emergency shelters because the length of stay becomes longer and longer, therefore limiting the number of women that can escape a violent environment to seek safe shelter. As the numbers of battered women seeking services increases, so does the need for longer transitional housing. Many projects have developed transitional housing programs where a woman and her family can stay 6 months, a year, or even longer, to help establish herself, save money and find affordable housing. DVAP projects constantly express that they do not have enough bed-space to meet the demand. This is one way that they are trying to address the problem. Emerging trends have involved expansion of services to special populations of children, which include the developmentally challenged, the youth from homes witnessing domestic violence as well as substance abuse. The services to very young children from birth to 5 years of age has increase through outreach, collaboration and co-located programs locally. Another emerging trend involves services to juvenile perpetrators, which have increased. The child abuse treatment services locally include more conscious efforts to reach the Native American community who may often feel cultural insensitivity from providers. Rape Crisis Centers continue to request information on culturally competent materials along with new techniques or model programs that address this issue. Additionally, volunteers recruitment, training and in-service topic development are areas of increased interest and concerns in the field. Retaining volunteers once they have been trained is a on-going issue as projects are seeing a more “transient” profile in people who want to volunteer. There is also an increased interest in the development of additional sexual assault response teams to assist during visits to medical treatment centers, law enforcement agencies, victim service agencies, and the legal system.
F. USE OF VOCA ADMINISTRATIVE FUNDS: The ability to use a portion of the VOCA funds for administrative purposes has greatly improved OCJP’s service delivery by allowing an increase in staffing to serve more program specific areas and to increase the number of projects funded. The administrative funds allow OCJP to provide the standard complement of furniture and personal computers, etc. for staff. Without these resources, the added direct service funding would not be as effective due to a lack of technical assistance, program planning, and monitoring. Administrative funds were used to cover the cost of conducting ad hoc meetings necessary for OCJP to receive input and feedback from the field for the purpose of program development and revision. Administrative funds were also used for OCJP staff training to enhance skills and remain current on emerging issues that impact programs, and to improve the delivery of services to victims. VOCA administrative funds were used for the development of medical forensic forms for domestic violence, and elder and dependent adult abuse. These forms and protocols are currently being developed with an completion date planned of January 1, 2003. The CHAT Program has used administrative funds to enhance and encourage the professional growth of the therapists by facilitating attendance at relevant trainings such as: helping children cope with grief and loss; using art therapy for traumatized children; the relationship of parental substance abuse and child abuse; working with sexually reactive children; the impact of domestic violence on children; and the impact of child abuse on developing sexuality. Administrative funds were utilized towards sponsorship of the 7th International Conference on Family Violence, which was attended by many representatives of private and public agencies that provide services to those who are victims of all types of abusive treatment, and violence in their homes. This was the first year of a three-year evaluation of the CHAT Program. The main purpose of this evaluation is to help OCJP grantees operating child abuse treatment programs to develop and implement outcomes that are integrated into service provision. The data will allow analysis of those aspects of treatment that are effective in producing the outcomes desired. Performance will be measured as the degree to which the expressed goals and objectives of each program are achieved. This first year of the evaluation focused on the development of the evaluation design. This included a review of numerous potential outcomes assessments, the coordination of the development phase with the agencies implementing the program, and the testing of the outcome based measurement instruments. This also included onsite training and technical assistance to agencies not familiar with the selected standardized instruments. Data collection tracking will occur on all child abuse cases at 43 separate agencies during the second and third years of the evaluation with data analysis occurring in the third year. The final report of this evaluation is scheduled for completion in November, 2003.