PCCD Applicant & Grantee Feedback Survey

As part of our strategic planning efforts, PCCD is seeking honest feedback from individuals and organizations who have applied for and/or received funding through our state and federal grant programs.

We want to hear about your experiences navigating the application process, managing a grant, and interacting with PCCD's team so we can identify ways to continue to improve our services and supports. 

Your responses are anonymous and confidential and will only be used in summary form to inform PCCD's planning efforts. Whether your experience was positive, challenging, or somewhere in between, we want to hear from you. 

Thank you for helping us serve you - and Pennsylvania - better. 

Please take a few minutes to complete this survey by April 30, 2025.

Please click here to access.

STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Survey

PCCD wants your input regarding how we distribute funding under the Federal STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program.

Please take this brief survey.

The data collected will assist Pennsylvania Statewide STOP Implementation Planning Committee as it develops Pennsylvania's 2026-209 funding and service priorities for STOP.

If you have any questions, please contact Natalie Novotny-Goles at (717) 265-8735 or nnovotnygo@pa.gov

Pennsylvania's Pathways for Victim Services Conference provides an opportunity for victim services providers and allied professionals to join for national keynote speakers, informative workshops, networking opportunities and the presentation of the Governor's Victim Service Pathfinder Awards.

To register for the conference: Pathways for Victim Services Conference Registration

You will receive notice when the conference app is launched so you can select your workshops!

Hotel Rooms are available at Kalahari Resort:

Standard rooms are at the discounted rate of $107/night and the includes the Resort Fee. (This is normally an additional $44.99 per night)

For additional questions, please contact the Pathways Conference Team at:

RA-CD-Pathfinder@pa.gov

2025 Pathways Agenda and Workshops

Attention VOJO Programs - VOJO Lapsing Funds Please Don't Forget To Use Your VOJO Funding By June 30,2025

Recipients of Fiscal Year 2024 VOJO (VJ) funds, denoted on your Award Letter as:

2024 VJ Award Amount $ XX

2024 VJ Project Period 1/1/2025-6/30/2025

OVS would like to remind subrecipients that VOJO funds not expended or obligated from the above funding source by June 30, 2025, will lapse.

As necessary, Project Modification Requests may be filed to avoid a lapse in unspent VOJO funds. Programs are encouraged to file a modification request by June 1st to ensure proper processing time by PCCD.

Any outstanding obligations as of 6/30/2025, should be reported in the Outstanding Subgrantee Obligations column on the fiscal report for the period ending 6/30/2025. An interim fiscal report will need to be submitted once the reported Outstanding Subgrantee Obligations are paid. A remark must be included noting the reported expenditures were attributable to the period 1/1/2025-6/30/2025.

Please reach out to the fiscal staff person listed on your grant should you need assistance. 

Recordings Of PCCD's Consolidated Standards Are Available On PCCD's YouTube Channel

Pennsylvania has long been considered a leader when it comes to the OVS Consolidated Standards, in their design to deliver quality services and programming led by skilled advocates and staff.

To better inform the field, OVS has launched a series of recordings that walk program staff through each of the standards. These are short recordings, up to thirty (30) minutes in length, available on PCCD’s YouTube Channel: PA Commission on Crime & Delinquency (PCCD) - YouTube. Each recording counts toward OVS annual training requirements. Staff may listen to any number of recordings as they are released. 

The Standards are meant to be a guide for victim service professionals to promote excellent service delivery and to ensure the uniformity of services. The Standards provide the minimum expectations for service provision and ensure professionalism in a wide variety of victim service practices. 

The following recording is now available on PCCD’s YouTube Channel: 

Crime Victim Grievance Standard

What Is Blame Shifting?

Abusers often have a very hard time taking responsibility for their actions, blaming the survivor for their choices instead.

Please click here to read.

The Learning Community

The Learning Community is an online center for training, education, and collaboration dedicated to preventing and responding to sexual assault, domestic violence, and other types of abuse. We bring people together to share knowledge, build skills, and create a future free from violence.

Please click here to access.

A Trauma History Is No Excuse For Abuse

Having a trauma history does not excuse bad or even abusive behavior towards others.

It's possible to hold space for their trauma while recognizing wrongs and abuse.

Systemic changes could help improve support and quality of life for all survivors of abuse.

Please click here to read.

Teen Dating Violence & Firearms: What The Research Tells Us

In this episode, we sit down with Dr. Kimberly Randall, a pediatric emergency medicine physician and researcher, to discuss the intersection of teen dating violence and firearm access.

Please click here to access.

After A Mass Shooting Shattered Their Peace, Survivors Find Trauma - And Closure - In Court

A three-year quest for justice has given survivors of the Highland Park shooting a deeper understanding of the judicial process and how hard it can be on grieving families.

Please click here to read.

An Order Of Protection Didn't Stop Abuser From Murdering Ex-Wife At Her Workplace

In the end, no one protected her. Murder-suicide highlights domestic violence struggles.

Please click here to read.

Understanding Violence Against People with Disabilities and Deaf People

April 29, 2025, 2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

People with disabilities are at significantly higher risk of domestic and sexual violence than those without disabilities. Survivors often face more frequent, prolonged abuse and multiple perpetrators. In this webinar, Activating Staff will explore the unique experiences of people with disabilities and Deaf Individuals - from the violence they face to the barriers in accessing criminal justice systems and victim services - and share strategies to improve responses and outcomes for these survivors.

Please click here to register.

2025 Plan VOCA Funded Attorney Training - Registration Open

Pennsylvania Legal Aid Network, Inc will be offering the 2025 VOCA Funding Attorney Training virtually this year, during the week of May 19, 2025

VOCA Grantee Training Schedule

Trauma Informed Care For Hospital Personnel & STOP Teams

May 29, 2025

2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Overview

Sexual violence is a widespread public health issue with significant short and long-term health consequences. This webinar will focus on trauma-informed approaches for healthcare personnel to improve the coordination and care of acute sexual assault victims, as well as the relevance of these approaches in the context of all patients who may have a history of sexual violence.

It’s important to note that not all hospitals have forensic nurses available 24/7. This webinar will strive to increase the number of hospital staff trained on how to address sexual harm by incorporating six basic principles of trauma-informed care.

We will also share additional resources to assist with continued staff development aimed to equip you with the knowledge and skills to provide a safe and supportive environment to victims of sexual violence.

Speaker:

Dr. Tracey Vogel is an obstetric anesthesiologist in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. She received her MD degree from the University of Pittsburgh and completed her anesthesia training at Stanford University in California. 

She received certification as a Sexual Assault Counselor at Allegheny County’s Rape Crisis Center PAAR (Pittsburgh Action Against Rape) several years ago, where she started her work in medical advocacy and education for adult survivors of sexual trauma. This education has inspired her to initiate programs to promote medical “centers of excellence” in providing trauma-informed care for obstetric patients.

​Her hospital-based work also includes involvement with quality assurance processes, education and training of nurses, residents, and medical students, and creation of care plans for high risk obstetric patients including those with prior sexual trauma, opioid tolerance and substance use disorders, and mental health concerns. 

Dr. Vogel is part of the governor’s HEAL PA Taskforce seeking to make Pennsylvania a trauma-aware state.

Objectives

• Provide a clear explanation of trauma-informed care principles and their relevance in the context of sexual assault.
• Demonstrate how to incorporate trauma-informed approaches into routine care, focusing on communication, empathy, and creating a safe environment.
• Highlight the importance of coordinating with other professionals involved in the care of sexual assault victims, including law enforcement, victim advocates, and mental health professionals.

Target audience: physicians, RNs, APRNs, FNEs, and all hospital personnel that may interact with victims of sexual violence; advocates, law enforcement, and prosecutors.

This activity will be submitted to the Pennsylvania State Nurses Association for approval to award contact hours. The Pennsylvania State Nurses Association Approver Unit is accredited as an approver of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s Commission on Accreditation.

Please click here to register.

Foundational Academy

July 23 - 25, 2025

All Academies are held in-person (with no virtual or hybrid option) at:

The Graduate Hotel

125 South Atherton Street

State College, PA 16801

Registration is free and hotel rooms, parking, and lunch are included. Participants are on their own in the evenings.

Registration for the July Academy will be open May 27-29, 2025 under the PDAI Training Calendar at www.pdaa.org. The information will also be distributed via email. Trainings are listed by date; you will need to scroll down to July to find the information. It will not be listed at the top with the Save the Dates.

Applications will be accepted for the above three days only. During this time, those who wish to attend the July Academy will be asked to apply for a spot. Information on funding and length of time at agency must be completed as part of this process. Registrations are no longer automatic. Instead, applications to attend will be prioritized by, but not limited to, length of time at agency and grant requirements. Applicants must be able to attend all 3 days of Academy in its entirety, as well as complete additional online work.

Once prioritized, the top 55 applicants will be notified of their acceptance into Academy. All others will be place on the priority waitlist and notified of such. The selection process will take up to 2 weeks. All pending applicants will be contacted as soon as the lists are finalized.

Additionally, Academy spots are only for those VOCA, VOJO, and RASA-funded individuals for whom attendance is required per PCCD's Consolidated Victim Services Standards. And finally, only 8 staff members per agency can apply for each Academy.

The final Academy for 2025 will be held on November 19 - 21, 2025.