Final RASA/VOJO Program Reports Are Due January 20,2025!

The final, quarterly program report for the 2023-2024 RASA/VOJO funding cycle will cover the October 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 timeframe and must be submitted in Egrants no later than January 20, 2025. Please note that January 20^th falls on the Martin Luther King, Jr. observance so please consider filing before this deadline.

Below are instructions for the report sections that will need to be completed for the quarterly program report in addition to the report sections completed each quarter. 

Other Standard Questions Section - Please complete the questions in this section reflecting on Year 2 of the project. Please be sure to enter a response to each question.

Annual Training Certification Section - Please complete this section to certify that all RASA and/or VOJO funded staff have completed annual training hours for calendar year 2024.

All RASA/VOJO funded staff are required to complete at least ten (10) hours of annual training each calendar year. Per the OVS Consolidated Standards, staff must complete one (1) hour of Cultural Responsiveness training annually and must additionally compete sexual harassment training every two (2) years. Up to 2.5 hours of annual training may be dedicated to administrative training. Up to 3.5 hours of training beyond the required ten (10) hours annually may be carried over into 2025.

If staff did not complete at least ten (10) hours of annual training in 2024, please list the following: 1) employee name, 2) how many training hours were completed in 2024, and 3) explain how the employee (s) will make up the training hours still needed for 2024 in calendar year 2025. This is in addition to the ten (10) training hours that will be required for 2025.

Final Report Section - Please complete all questions in this section summarizing the two (2) year project cycle and the anticipated project continuation with the 2025-2026 RASA/VOJO funding cycle.

REMINDERS:

No narrative is required in the "Briefly List Activities Conducted During This Period" Section on the main page of the report. Simply enter " Not Applicable" in this section on the main page of the report and save it.

It is very important to submit program reports in Egrants by the due date of January 20,2025. PCCD applies a risk level to each sub-grantee. One of the factors that impacts an agency's risk level is delinquent quarterly reports. RASA and VOJO Reports submitted later than January 20,2025, may adversely impact the agency's risk level. If unable to enter report data and submit the report by the due date, please contact the Office of Victims' Services.

For questions or assistance in completing the quarterly reports, please reach out to the Program Staff Contact assigned to your grant.

Quarterly fiscal reports for RASA and VOJO grants will also be due in Egrants by January 20,2025. Please contact the fiscal staff person listed on the grant for assistance with the quarterly, fiscal report.

For technical assistance with Egrants, please contact the Egrants Support Line at

RA-eGrantsSupport@pa.gov or (717) 787-5887.

Free Remote Trauma-Informed Sign Language Interpreting Services Now Available

Accessing qualified, trauma-informed American Sign Language (ASL) interpreters is a significant barrier for Deaf survivors seeking support. That’s why we’re thrilled to announce a new service funded by the U.S. Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) and provided by Activating Change: free, remote ASL interpreting services for victim service providers across the United States.

Here's what you need to know:

Completely free: There is no cost to access this service - anytime you need it.

Expert interpreters: Our interpreters are qualified, trauma-informed, and committed to ensuring safety, security, and confidentiality.

Please click here to access.

2025 Pathways Conference Workshop Proposal Deadline Extended To January 31,2025

The call for workshop proposals for the 2025 Pathways for Victim Services Conference has been extended until January 31, 2025. The form can be found by following this link, Speaker Form.  You will need to make a Whova account to submit the workshop proposal.

The 2025 Pathways for Victims Services Conference will take place September 10-12, 2025, at the Kalahari Resort and Convention Center in the Poconos. There will be complimentary tickets provided for up to two speakers per workshop, a $250 value.

Important Workshop Information:

• All Workshops will be 75 minutes in length.
• All Workshops will be set up in a classroom style.
• A laptop computer and LCD projector will be provided for the presenters' use.

Required Information for Workshop Proposal Submission:

• Title of the Workshop
• Presenters Name(s) and Title
• Presenters Contact Information
• Agency and or Organization Affiliation for the presenter(s)
• Brief description of the presenter’s experience with the subject matter
• Detailed workshop proposal (including learning objectives, presentation style (i.e. PowerPoint, Roundtable discussion, multimedia)
• Target Audience

All workshop proposals will be submitted through the Whova link provided. If you have any questions, please email us at RA-CD-PATHFINDER@pa.gov

Board Basics For Members And Board Basics For Leadership

Two new training modules are available on the Pennsylvania Victim Services Training website! These modules introduce the Board Development Series, which is designed to provide an overview of creating, operating, and managing a Board of Directors for a non-profit organization.

Please note that these courses are classified as Leadership and Governance Trainings and DO NOT COUNT toward PCCD's Training Standard for Victim Advocates or Foundational Academy Online Requirements, though they may count for other training requirements throughout the state.

LGT051 - Board Basics for Members

This course provides all Board members with an overview of their roles and responsibilities. This can be used as an onboarding activity for new Board members or as a refresher for all Board members within a non-profit organization.

LGT052 - Board Basics for Leadership

This course is designed for individuals in leadership positions at non-profits, such as the Executive Director and Board Chair. This course presents a basic overview of strategies for building and maintaining an effective Board of Directors.

How to Access the Trainings

Log in to https://pavictimservicestraining.org to access these trainings. Once you log in, click on the Course Catalog on the right side and search for the course name or number.

Please share with others at your organization who may be interested in registering for the site.

If you have any questions, navigate to the Help Center or contact a site administrator at PVSTsupport@psu.edu

Providing Services For Asian Victim-Survivors

The Providing Services for Asian Victim-Survivors was released on December 13, 2024. This course discusses considerations for working with Asian survivors of crime. Learners will review the importance of practicing cultural competency, understand common barriers that Asian victim-survivors face, and develop strategies to facilitate service provision among Asian victim-survivors.

In order to access please visit the PA Victim Services Training Website.

If you have any questions, navigate to the Help Center or contact a site administrator at PVSTsupport@psu.edu.

Why A Recent Philly Sting Marks A Shift In How Pennsylvania Confronts The Commercial Sex Industry

Pennsylvania Attorney General Michelle Henry and the Pennsylvania State Police announced the arrests of 22 people connected to a long-standing Philadelphia based human trafficking ring on Oct 22,2024.

This investigation is the first of its kind in Pennsylvania. That's because it targeted not only the suspected leader of the trafficking ring, but all prongs of the enterprise, including the alleged financial manager, drivers and customers, or 'johns".

Please click here to read.

The Perfectly Imperfect Victim: The Undocumented Migrant

Why should the United States put more effort into protecting undocumented Latina immigrants who are survivors of human trafficking?

Please click here to read.

How Trucking Can Combat Human Trafficking In 2025

A Commercial Vehicle Safety Alliance initiative aims to raise awareness of human trafficking within the trucking industry in 2025.

Please click here to read.

This year’s theme of KINSHIP is a call to action to recognize that shared humanity should be at the center of supporting all survivors and victims of crime. KINSHIP is a state of being with survivors that drives vital connections and increases access to services, rights, and healing. KINSHIP is where victim advocacy begins. 

Please click here to access.

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 You Tube 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 recordings are now available on PCCD’s You Tube Channel: 

Program Administration - Section D - Personnel Management

Program Administration - Section E - Program Planning and Evalution

Human Trafficking Incidents Reported By Law Enforcement - 2022

The report analyzes the types of human trafficking (labor trafficking and sex trafficking) in 2022. It provides statistics on the number of incidents and victimizations by type and includes breakdowns by sex, age, race, location, and weapon type. It also includes statistics that show incident clearance types, numbers of offenders per incident, numbers of victims per incident, and the relationship of alleged offenders to victims.

Please click here to read.

Stalking Survivors Speak: What Survivors Want You To Know To Enhance Your Response To Stalking

January 6, 2025

2:00 pm

Stalking survivors are the experts on what it’s like to be stalked — and what responders can do to help. This webinar features a panel of stalking survivors and activists who will discuss their own experiences. They will reflect on what was helpful, challenges they encountered, and how victim service providers and criminal justice responders can better enhance stalking victim safety. SPARC Director Jennifer Landhuis moderates this panel, which amplifies the voices of three inspiring and insightful speakers.

Please click here to register.

Panel Discussion Commemorating The 10th Anniversary Of The OVC

January 8, 2025

3:00 pm

A special panel discussion commemorating the 10th anniversary of the "OVC Faces of Human Trafficking" video series. Over the past decade, this series has played a pivotal role in raising awareness, educating the public, and highlighting the tireless efforts of those combating human trafficking. This panel discussion will not only reflect on the progress made but also chart a path forward in our collective fight against this crime.

Please click here to register.

Identifying & Responding To Stalking In Rural Communities

January 9,2025

1:30 pm - 3:00 pm CST

Stalking is a prevalent, dangerous and misunderstood crime. The dynamics and barriers often encountered in rural communities can be challenging when working to increase victim safety and offender accountability in stalking cases. This webinar will address common stalking tactics, the intersection between stalking and domestic violence and explore strategies for safety, accountability, and collaboration in rural stalking cases.

Please click here to register.

Domestic Violence 101: Back To Basics

January 30,2025

2:00 pm - 3:30 pm

This introductory webinar will describe the dynamics and common tactics that characterize domestic violence. It will also provide an overview of the scope and impact on individuals and society. Because it is impossible to prevent and respond to domestic violence without addressing larger structures of oppression, this webinar will explain the connections between doing racial equity work and ending domestic violence. This session will help new advocates, allied professionals, students, and the general public achieve a basic understanding of this complex issue and how they can be part of the solution.



Please click here to register.

5th Annual Regional Human Trafficking Summit

March 4, 2025

8:30 am - 4:30 pm

March 5, 2025

8:30 am - 12:30 pm

Sheraton Baltimore North Hotel

903 Dulaney Valley Rd, Towson, MD 21204

The summit is designed for advocates and professionals in the anti-trafficking or related field. Participants include victim service providers, survivor leaders, government officials, legal professionals, academia, law enforcement, representatives from community groups, faith and tribal communities, and more. 

Please click here to register.

Please click here to view current employment opportunities.