September 18, 2024

In This Issue...

RASA/VOJO 2025-2026 Funding Announcement To Close!


The RASA/VOJO 2025-2026 Funding Announcement will close on Friday, September 27, 2024, with applications due in E-grants by 11:59pm.

 

Applications are being accepted for Year 1 funding to support Rights and Services Act (RASA) and Victims of Juvenile Offenders (VOJO) initiatives. Year 2 funding will be determined at the Victims Services Advisory Committee (VSAC) meeting in November 2024. A continuation application is required to commence Year 2.

 

The primary purpose of RASA and VOJO funding is to support responsibilities assigned to the Prosecution and Juvenile Probation under the Crime Victims Act (Act 85 of 2002), the Juvenile Act, and Pennsylvania’s Rules of Juvenile Court Procedure. The goal and objective of RASA and VOJO funding is to ensure that victims of crimes whose cases are processed within the criminal and juvenile justice systems receive all rights, notifications, and services to which they are entitled under the law.  



A link to the funding announcement can be found here.


Please contact PCCD if there are any questions concerning this announcement.


Program-related questions should be directed to Emily Ruzicka at: (717) 265-8451 or emruzicka@pa.gov or Heather Cureau at: (717) 265.8712 or hcureau@pa.gov.

 

Fiscal questions should be directed to Crystal Lauver at: (717) 265-8525 or crlauver@pa.gov.



Registration requests and general questions concerning the E-grants system should be made directly to the Egrants Help Desk by calling (717) 787.5887 or

ra-egrantssupport@pa.gov.

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:



Outreach Standard

Governor Shapiro Signs Executive Order Re-Establishing Pennsylvania Office Of Gun Violence Prevention


Governor Shapiro recently updated an executive order issued by former Governor Wolf, re-establishing the Pennsylvania Office of Gun Violence Prevention (OGVP) within PCCD.


Please click here to read.

Understanding Law For Advocates


Victim advocates are often the first and sometimes only contact a victim has as they try to understand their rights. Because of this, advocates' understandings of how to read law is critical. In this new video resource we discuss some critical elements for effectively reading and understanding

where rights are located and why that can matter; where legal words may be defined and why those definitions matter; how to recognize the difference between automatic and requested rights; and how to identify and understand the difference between mandatory and permissive rights.


Please click here to view.


In preparation for the National Day of Remembrance for Murder Victims this September 25, OVC TTAC offers several resources on serving homicide victims/co-survivors.


Please click here to access.

Justice Department Announces More Than $690 Million In Violence Against Women Act Funding


The Justice Department recently announced the awards of over $690 million in grant funding administered by the Office on Violence Against Women (OVW). This funding will support services and justice responses for victims and survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking across all U.S. states and territories and in many Tribal nations.



Please click here to read.

National Suicide Prevention Month


September is National Suicide Prevention Month - a time to remember the lives lost to suicide, acknowledge the millions more who have experienced suicidal thoughts, and the many individuals, families and communities that have been impacted by suicide. It's also a time to raise awareness about suicide prevention.


Please click here to access.

Practices For Law Enforcement Interviews Of Potential Human Trafficking Victims


Victims of human trafficking play a key role in the investigation and prosecution of traffickers; however, their involvement in the interview process and the information they disclose largely depend on the quality of their interactions with interviewers.


Please click here to access.

How Survivors Get Incarcerated For Their Abusers' Crimes


Little-known laws allow people to be punished for crimes they didn't directly commit. Survivors of domestic violence are especially vulnerable.


Please click here to read.

Upcoming Trainings & Events


Inherited Trauma: How It Shapes Who You Are


Wednesday, September 25, 2024 

11:00am-12:05pm PST


Dr. Galit Atlas, Ph.D. discusses the realities of inherited trauma and its legacies. Dr. Atlas is a psychoanalyst and clinical supervisor in private practice in New York City who teaches and lectures throughout the United States and internationally. This CLE, “Inherited Trauma: How It Shapes Who You Are,” draws on Dr. Atlas’s recent book, Emotional Inheritance: A Therapist, Her Patients and the Legacy of Trauma, which combines stories from her life and her work with patients with decades of psychological research, creating an engaging examination of the links between our parents and grandparents’ history, and our own emotional struggles.


Please click here to register.


Please click here to register for September 25

Please click here to register

Spirituality And The Trauma Of Trafficking-Pathways To Healing


September 30, 2024

11:00 am - 1:00 pm


This comprehensive training program delves into the intricate relationship between spirituality and the trauma experienced by survivors of human trafficking. It is designed to equip professionals, caregivers and advocated with the knowledge and tools necessary to support the healing journey of those affected by trafficking. The training combines theoretical insights with practical strategies to foster a holistic approach to recovery. 


Please click here to read.

Human Trafficking & Labor Exploitation: Collaborative Support For Immigration Survivors


October 9, 2024

9:00 am - 4:00 pm


We are pleased to announce a specialized training session on immigrant survivors of human trafficking and labor exploitation. This training will focus on how victim service providers and their agencies can effectively support immigrant survivors by collaborating with both Immigration agencies and Government agencies.


Key Topics Include:

  • Understanding T Visas and their importance for survivors of human trafficking and labor exploitation.
  • Strategies for victim services providers and their agencies to partner with Immigration Agencies.
  • Best practices for working with government agencies to support immigrant survivors.

Join us to gain valuable insights and tools to better support immigrant survivors.

 

The speakers include representatives from HIAS PA, Justice at Work, and the US Department of Labor.

This training will be held IN-PERSON at the Crowne Plaza - King of Prussia, which is directly across the street from the King of Prussia Mall. It is easily accessible from the Pennsylvania Turnpike and the Schuylkill Expressway/Interstate 76, and just 19 miles from Downtown Philadelphia.

There is no virtual or hybrid option for this training. This is approved for 5 PCCD training hours. 



Please click here to register.

Quarterly RASA Virtual Meeting


October 11,2024

10:00 am- 12:00 pm

Hosted by OVS via Microsoft Teams


The Office of Victims Services (OVS) is pleased to announce a webinar about what advocates working in the adult system need to know about the newly implemented Act 44 of 2023. Act 44 of 2023 introduces significant changes in PA’s probation system.  Among the updates is the addition of the Probation Review Conference which requires notification to crime victims. 


This webinar is for staff working within the Rights and Service Act (RASA) funding stream as Act 44 impacts only the adult criminal justice system. We invite all RASA project directors, advocates, and staff to attend.


Please register here for this webinar: Quarterly RASA Virtual Meeting Registration


Once your registration is confirmed, we will send the meeting invite and link. Registration closes Oct. 4th. For additional information, please contact Maria Katulis at mkatulis@pa.gov.


Victim Services Foundational Academy Information


November 13 – 15, 2024

The Graduate, State College

 

Registration is open ONLY from September 16 through close of business September 18, 2024. There is no registration fee for this training and both hotel rooms (if requested) and lunch are included as part of registration. You must select that you need a hotel room in order for a complimentary room to be reserved for you.

 

This process is for those who wish to attend the November 2024 Academy to apply for a spot. Information on funding and length of time at Agency must be completed as part of this process. Please keep in mind that you are required to attend all 3 days in their entirety, as well as complete an additional supplemental online training requirement in order to successfully complete Academy. Registrations are no longer automatic and accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Instead, applications to attend will be prioritized by, but not limited to, length of time at agency, agency's grant requirements, etc. Additionally, only a maximum of 8 staff members per agency may apply for each Academy.

 

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

 

As a reminder, Academy spots are only for those VOCA, VOJO, and RASA-Funded individuals for whom attendance is required per PCCD's Consolidated Victim Services Standards.

 

Licensed therapists, licensed social workers, licensed counselors, attorneys, contractors, and consultants such as bookkeepers and accountants no longer need to attend. Your application will most likely be denied. Additionally, VOCA-funded attorneys doing Civil Legal Services for their agencies must instead attend and complete the PA Legal Aid Network Training. For more information, please contact PLAN directly. Please contact your PCCD Grant Monitor with any questions about the attendance requirements.

Victims Compensation Assistance Program Online Trainings



The following trainings will be held September 26, 2024.


  • Loss of Earnings Clinic - 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
  • Myths of Compensation - 11:00 a.m - 12:00 p.m.


The following trainings will be held September 30, 2024.


  • Basic Compensation - 1:00 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.


The following trainings will be held October 10, 2024.


  • Counseling Expenses Clinic - 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
  • Transportation Expenses Clinic - 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.


The following trainings will be held October 15, 2024.


  • Medical Expenses Clinic - 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.
  • Funeral & Burial Expenses Clinic - 11:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.


The following trainings will be held October 23, 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 2, 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, September 25, 2024.

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