Oregon?s Crime Victims? Compensation Program (CVCP) claims received and payments made continues to grow.  In the last year the Oregon CVCP has seen a 20% increase in crime related payments and an 11% increase in the number of compensation claims received. While we welcome increased awareness and utilization of the Program, CVCP is struggling with the unanticipated increases.  If this trend continues, CVCP will be forced to consider whether a reduction in claim benefits and/or claim spending for the remainder of the 07-09 biennium is necessary. Additional savings measures may need to be implemented for 09-11 and 2011-2013. 





Over the last several biennium, the CVCP has been under funded by state policy makers. A budget increase requested for the 07-09 biennium was granted at less than half of the need.  Historically, the program has always been able to find the dollars necessary to maintain current service levels through the collection of restitution, punitive damage awards and the federal compensation grant.  Collection from criminal offenders and civil law suits is an extremely unpredictable method for securing financial resources and although the Program?s two Revenue Agents collected over $608,700.00 during the 07-08 federal fiscal year, this amount in nowhere near the $4.7 million that was paid out on behalf of Oregon victims.  The Program does continue to make small inroads into the area of collection efforts, with the 2007-2009 biennium seeing a $141,400.00 increase in dollars collected as compared to last year.  


	


Currently, federal dollars pay for approximately 37% of the payments to victims. Since FFY 2000- 2001, the number of applications received has increased 42%. Just in the last FFY the number of application received has increased 11%. Additionally, in the last FFY, the CVC has seen a 20% increase in the amount of funds paid out on behalf of Oregon crime victims. It is safe to say that without the VOCA Compensation Grant, Oregon would be forced to implement considerable benefit cuts across the board to victims and their providers.  This is why, more than ever, it continues to be essential that the CVCP be a shared federal/state funding partnership.

The Crime Victims? Compensation Program uses several different performance measures to assess the program?s efficiency and effectiveness in reducing the financial impact of Oregon crime victims.





In the past, one of the key performance measures was the number of Crime Victims? Compensation applications determined in less than 60-days, less than 90-days, and less than 120-days from the date that the claim is received by the Program.  During the last two years the Program has turned the focused to the quality of work with applicants and victims rather than the quantity of applications processed. This focus proved to be a good change for the CVSD in that the Program has still accomplished making determinations on 90% of our claims within 90-days and the CVCP has been able to spend additional time providing victims with information regarding the compensation program and other possible resources in a compassionate and timely manner. However, it is anticipated that if the number of claims received and payment amounts continue to increase at the same rate, with no additional staff since 2001, the 90% of claims determined within 90 days benchmark will no longer be achievable.





In regards to payments on accepted ongoing claims, the section?s goal is to pay 100% of the bills received within 60-days of their receipt by the section.  In the past this data was  tracked from a weekly pull list. In the last year the Program changed the bill processing procedure, assigning claims to claims assistants. This has been an improved change for both the Program and providers. Since the inception of the change in process, the Program is able to pay most bills in less than 30 days. All bills received go directly to the assigned assistant who then pulls the claim and makes the payment within days of the receipt of the bill. The case management system is unable to issue a report for the time between receipt of the bill and payment however; supervisors do review payments processed on a regular basis to ensure that all bills ready for payment are expeditiously processed.





Additionally, as part of our ongoing efforts to enhance our effectiveness and efficiency, we mail out client surveys 6 months after a Crime Victim?s Compensation claim has been accepted.  Attached is a compilation of the survey responses and narrative comments from victims during this reporting period.

The greatest amount of the compensation administrative dollars expended during this reporting period was used for the program?s proportional share of the rent. As mentioned above in the response to question #1, the state under funds the Compensation Program by several million dollars each biennium, so having these funds available to pay for rent is very significant from the program?s perspective.  





Administrative dollars also continue to allow the Compensation Program to maintain a high level of expertise in the area of emerging issues within the national compensation arena by providing a funding opportunity for staff to attend regional and national training conferences.  During this reporting period we were able to use these funds to send our Compensation Manager, Office Manager, one Claims Examiner, and one Claims Assistant to the Southwestern Regional Compensation Conference in San Antonio, Texas. We were also able to send the Compensation Manager, one Claims Examiner and one Claims Assistant to the National Crime Victims? Compensation Conference in San Diego, California. Both of these conferences were vital in educating compensation staff regarding emerging issues with compensation programs in such areas as contributory conduct, tribal relations, child victims and financial management. The compensation administration funds have also been used to send one new employee to the State Victim Assistance Academy for one week in Salem, Oregon, four compensation staff the Child Abuse and Family Violence Summit in Portland, Oregon, and two compensation staff to the Crime Victims? Assistance Network (CVAN) conference. The CVSD sent various staff to these trainings in order to ensure continued professionalism, compassion and efficiency when assisting victims of crime. 





Additionally compensation administrative Funds were also used for Oregon?s National Crime Victims? Rights Week Ceremony in the way of purchasing signs, buttons and other public relations material.     





The program also uses administrative dollars to pay for its annual membership in the National Association of Crime Victims? Compensation Boards (NACVB).  The NACVB promotes an exchange of information and ideas through a nationwide network of victim compensation programs. The Association advances better methods for serving crime victims through various training and technical assistance activities, helping its members establish sound administrative practices, achieve fiscal stability, and engage in effective outreach, communication and advocacy.