October 16, 2024

In This Issue...

Office Of Gun Violence Prevention

On Tuesday, October 9th PCCD kicked off the first in a series of listening sessions that will inform the work of PCCD’s re-established Office of Gun Violence Prevention.Takeaways from these discussions will drive the work of the Office of Gun Violence Prevention as well as inform Pennsylvania's federal FY 2024 Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (SCIP) Funding Plan. 

PCCD Survey: Help Us Better Understand How To Meet The Needs Of Providers Supporting Communities Impacted By Gun Violence


In mid-October, ICF—a research and victim services consulting firm—will send you a survey on behalf of PCCD. We need your help understanding how to (1) understand and address gaps in services, (2) develop strategies to meet the needs of both individuals who have experienced gun violence and organizations/individuals who provide assistance, and (3) increase resources for communities impacted by gun violence. The initiative includes you! Opportunities to share insights include surveys with providers and discussion groups with individuals who have experienced gun violence.


Here at PCCD, our goal is to use survey findings to inform the development of Resiliency Centers in Pennsylvania. Resiliency Centers offer assistance with a variety of options from food, clothing, and housing to legal services, therapeutic support, and victim compensation in one place for people impacted by gun violence. The goal is to have equitable resources across communities and make it easier for individuals to access the services they need in response to gun violence.   

We encourage you to take time at work to fill out the survey. It should take about 30 minutes. Your voice matters—let’s work together to build a safer, more supportive Pennsylvania!


Please feel free to share the following link with colleagues and other providers interested in being included in our outreach and efforts: Gun Violence Resiliency Project


For any questions regarding the study, please contact the research team at PAStudy@icf.com

Each year, in October, advocates, survivors, and supporters recognized October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month (DVAM). PCADV and the National Network to End Domestic Violence are leading a nationwide campaign for DVAM and GiveForDV to start a national conversation about domestic violence and how we can all contribute to changing the narrative around this overshadowed but fundamental issue.

Please click here to access PCADV Events Page


Female Homicide Victimization By Males


The presence of a firearm can turn domestic violence into domestic homicide. When men murder women, the most common weapon used is a gun.


Please click here to read.

Virtual Resiliency Center


NMVC's Virtual Resiliency Center provides resources to help individuals and communities recover from mass violence.


Please click here to access.

OVC will lead communities across the Nation as we commemorate NCVRW on April 6 -12, 2025.


Please click here to see the 2025 Theme

2025 NCVRW Cap Grant Application Announcement


The National Association of VOCA Assistance Administrators in cooperation with the Office for Victims of Crime, (OVC) is seeking proposals for innovative and collaborative approaches to promoting community-wide public awareness of the rights and available services for victims of all types of crimes during National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW), April 6-12, 2025.


Successful applicants will be awarded up to $5,000 each in reimbursement for approved NCVRW public awareness activities through the NCVRW Community Awareness Project's (CAP) program.


The application deadline is Friday, November 8, 2024 7:59 pm ET


A webinar for applicants will be held on Wednesday, October 16, 2024 at 2:00 pm ET


Please click here to register.


Visit the NAVAA Community Awareness Project Web site here to learn more about NCVRW Community Awareness Project Funding, including application instructions and forms.


Access the online electronic funding application here.

In recognition of the 40th Anniversary of the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA), the Office for Victims of Crime has compiled a toolkit of resources about the history of VOCA, the Crime Victims Fund (CVF), the programs it supports, and its important role in the lives of victims and survivors of crime.


Please click here to access.

Map Of States With Highest Rates Of Violence Against Women


Millions of women experience physical, sexual or emotional abuse at the hands of intimate partners each year. In 2024, certain U.S. states stand out for their particularly high rates of violence against women, spotlighting the ongoing challenges in addressing this widespread problem.


Please click here to read.

Inclusive Sexual Health Services: Practical Health Guidelines For Providers & Clinics


This guide was developed to cultivate an environment that supports health care providers and clinical staff in the delivery of inclusive sexual health services to all patients.


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 is pleased to announce a series of recordings that will 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 OVS Newsletter will announce new recordings as they are available.

 

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 You Tube Channel:


Media

Upcoming Trainings & Events

Optimizing PFAD In Your Jurisdiction


October 18, 2024

12:00 - 1:00 pm EST


Please join the AOPC STOP Violence Against Women Grant Program for a live virtual training to help answer questions you may have regarding using Pennsylvania’s Protection from Abuse Database (PFAD).


Danni Beinschroth, Esq., Legal Services Manager at the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV), will be providing an informative virtual presentation about best practices when using PFAD. 

 

Learning Objectives 

 

  1. Identify what PFAD is and why it exists.
  2. Describe the various PFAD access roles and who can have PFAD access.
  3. Distinguish the access levels for PFAD roles and what tasks they are responsible for in PFAD.
  4. Name what agencies to contact when you have PFAD questions or need PFAD training.


Please click here to register.

Domestic Violence: Understanding The Data And Policy


Women’s contact with the criminal justice system has trended upward over the last several decades, and their pathways into the justice system often include domestic violence. How do these experiences influence trends among justice-involved women? How can we better track domestic violence incidents to understand their prevalence? And how can the criminal justice system—and policymakers—better acknowledge the relevance of domestic violence when addressing women’s justice involvement? 



Please click here to register.

Please click here to register.

AOPC Offers Virtual Book Discussion And Training Opportunities


The Administrative Office of the Pennsylvania Courts (AOPC) is offering the following STOP Violence Against Women training and education activities in the coming quarter. These trainings are open to all justice system partners regardless of whether or not your county receives STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Funding from PCCD.



Working with LGBTQ+ Interpersonal Violence Cases


3-Workshop Virtual Training Series 

Join Cat Shugrue dos Santos, MSW, for a three-part training series that will provide attendees with a detailed overview of abuse in the LGBTQ+ community. Webinars will be recorded. Separate registration for each session is required. Continuing Legal Education Credits (CLE) will be offered. Continuing Judicial Education Credits (CJE) are pending.


Wednesday, November 13, 2024 - Session 1: LGBTQ+ Interpersonal Violence: an Introduction 


Please click here to register.


Friday, December 6, 2024 - Session 2: Working with LGBTQ+ Interpersonal Violence Cases: Dynamics and Case Studies, Part 1 


Please click here to register.


Tuesday, December 17, 2024 - Session 3: Working with LGBTQ+ Interpersonal Violence Cases: Dynamics and Case Studies, Part 2 


Please click here to register.


Cat Shugrue dos Santos, MSW serves as a subject matter expert in violence intervention and prevention, anti-oppression, and trauma-informed programs and organizations. Cat is a Senior Lecturer at Columbia University School of Social Work, speaks locally and nationally at conferences, has contributed articles to the Smith College Studies in Social Work Journal, the Domestic Violence Report, and Huffington Post, and is a leading voice in many local, statewide, and national coalitions working to end violence and promote equity. Cat serves on the Priority and Strategy Council for the Human Services Council and the Policy Committee for the New York State Network for Student Success.




2024 PA Justice Systems Virtual Book Discussion

Join the AOPC STOP Team and your colleagues from across Pennsylvania for a virtual book discussion about No Visible Bruises: What We Don’t Know About Domestic Violence Can Kill Us by Rachel Louise Snyder. 


Interested stakeholders will receive a free copy of the book and participate in virtual discussion December 13, 11:30 am - 1 pm EST. 



Books available on a first-come, first-served basis. 


Please click here to register.


Have you already read “No Visible Bruises” and want to partake in the discussion? No time to read the book, but still want to listen to the discussion? Feel free to sign up for the discussion alone AT THIS LINK.


Victims Compensation Assistance Program Online Trainings



The following trainings will be held October 23, 2024.

  • Basic Compensation - 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.


The following trainings will be held November 7, 2024.

  • Motor Vehicle-Related Crime Expenses Clinic - 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
  • "Wow, That's Covered by Compensation" - 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.


The following trainings will be held November 20, 2024.

  • Stolen Benefit Cash Expenses Clinic - 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
  • Loss of Support Clinic - 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.


The following trainings will be held December 4, 2024.

  • Counseling Expenses Clinic - 10:00 a.m. - 11:00 a.m.


The following trainings will be held December 12, 2024.

  • Basic Compensation - 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.



All trainings count towards 1 hour of the required RASA/VOCA/VOJO training hours, except Basic Compensation which counts towards 2 and DAVE training which counts towards 2.


PLEASE NOTE THE REGISTRATION PROCEDURE HAS CHANGED (AS OF JULY 1ST):


1)   Go to pccd.webex.com (click Modern View in the top right-hand corner)

2)   Click on the three horizontal lines in the top left corner

3)   Select “WebEx Training”

4)   Click on the “Upcoming” tab.

  

Please click here to register.


Employment Opportunities


Please click here to view current employment opportunities.


Please click here to view current employment opportunities.

Please click here to view current employment opportunities.

The next OVS Newsletter will be published on October 30, 2024. If you would like any training events, fundraisers, or notable news published in this newsletter, please submit them to Lea Dorsey at ledorsey@pa.gov by Wednesday, October 23, 2024.

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