The Connecticut Office of Victims Services (OVS) administers the state?s Crime Victim Compensation Program.  All victim assistance programs who receive Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding through OVS are provided with the necessary applications, instructions, brochures, etc., to assist crime victim in filing for victim compensation.  Victim Compensation training is provided each quarter to the many recipients of VOCA funding to support the needs of crime victims. 





Listed below are several issues that were reported by the VOCA funded contactors/subcontractors: 





-Many victims are looking for compensation for assistance with needs that are not covered under current compensation program guidelines such as:  childcare, change of locks, security deposits, financial assistance for moving/relocation expenses, replacement of doors, windows, locks, installation of alarm systems, etc.  





-Unavailability of the application in languages other than English.  OVS has instructions for completing the compensation application in Spanish, but the application itself is still in English. 





-Complex eligibility requirements and issues, including, but not limited to, reporting of crime to police, submission of supporting documentation, eligibility timeframe, contributory conduct, waiver process and child custody.  





-Victims involved in civil cases are reporting that their attorneys are reluctant to have their client file for compensation.  The victims are reporting that the attorneys are telling them that if they receive money they either won?t be awarded money because the state has already paid for the damages or that any monies that are awarded will need to be paid back to the compensation fund through the amount the victim receives.

As the state?s lead agency dedicated to providing services to victims of violent crime, OVS is charged with the responsibility to provide supportive services, financial assistance, and information to crime victims.  As the needs of crime victims are continually changing, OVS prioritizes a close working relationship with its community partners to identify what those needs are and how best to meet them. Listed below are a few examples of the collaborative efforts that OVS and its contractors/subcontractors engage in to enhance services to crime victims in Connecticut:  


OVS


?OVS provided staff services to the Advisory Council for Victims of Crime, which represents victims of various crimes, including, but not limited to: homicide, family violence, sexual assault, drunk driving, assault and robbery.  The Council also included representatives of Connecticut?s Judicial Branch and Executive Branch agencies.  The council recommends initiatives that would improve services to crime victims and develops needs assessments for both court-based and community-based victim services.


?The Director of OVS sits on the Trafficking in Persons Council. The council is tasked with determining what services are available to victims and how to best coordinate a response. The council includes law enforcement officials, leaders of state agencies, and community-based advocates and providers of services to victims. 


?The Director of OVS co-chairs the Connecticut state-wide automated victim information and notification (SAVIN) planning committee. Members of the planning committee represent both the Judicial and Executive Branches and have been meeting since March 2008. The committee is charged with implementing a SAVIN system in Connecticut. They have researched other state sponsored SAVIN programs, proposed a governance committee structure, hired a project manager, and initiated the process for securing federal funding to assist in funding the development and implementation of a SAVIN system in Connecticut. 


VOCA Funded Contractors/Subcontractors


?Clifford Beers Clinic, Inc:  Project staff work with the Post Traumatic Stress Disorder Center and the Greater New Haven Domestic Violence Program in providing treatment and supportive services to adult victims of domestic violence and/or sexual abuse.


?Child Guidance Center of Southern Connecticut ? The Child Guidance/Community Policing Program works with law enforcement, the Connecticut Department of Children and Families, juvenile justice personnel, and family violence victim advocates in Fairfield County to serve victims of domestic violence.


?Wellpath ? Project staff have joined a crisis intervention team and collaborate with local law enforcement in responding to victims of crime.


?Community Child Guidance Clinic ? Project staff collaborate with the Aetna Foundation Children?s Advocacy Center around treatment services for primary and secondary victims of sexual abuse.


?CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence ? Danbury center ? Project staff collaborate with the recently reopened Hispanic center to assist the needs of domestic violence victims. Project staff also are collaborating with the local housing authority to obtain housing vouchers for victims of domestic violence. 


?CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence ? Sharon center ? Project staff collaborate with the Law Enforcement/Judicial Think Tank to produce informational brochures in English and Spanish regarding domestic violence and the law. The brochures were distributed throughout the local communities.

OVS is committed to working with its federal victim assistance partners to ensure that federal crime victims, that meet Connecticut?s eligibility requirements, receive victim services.  OVS provides the U.S. Attorney?s Victim/Witness Coordinator, upon request, with compensation forms, informational material about OVS?s victim services and referrals to participating agencies for victim assistance services (i.e. counseling, support groups, shelter services, etc.).  OVS has also made contact with the new Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) Victim Specialist in the New Haven field office who attended OVS?s Compensation Training 101 in February 2008.  In addition to OVS?s collaboration with CT?s federal crime victims assistance personnel, OVS and its contractors/subcontractors have taken the following initiatives: 





-OVS continued its contract with the Connecticut Coalition Against Domestic Violence to provide emergency shelter to victims of human trafficking through it coalition of eighteen domestic violence service providers.  These services are available to both federal and state law enforcement officials.  





VOCA Funded Contractors/Subcontractors


-Aetna Foundation/St. Francis Hospital:  Project staff and representatives from participating police departments attended a federal training on predators that included the use of the Internet in child sexual abuse crimes.  The intent of the training was to teach law enforcement personnel the signs to prevent this crime, and the long-term affects these crimes have on the victims and family.  





-Police Victim Assistance Unit:  Project staff at a local police based victim assistance unit worked with the United States Attorney?s Office to refer an at risk family of three to the Federal Witness Protection Program where they were relocated and helped with expenses and permanent relocation out of the state.  





-CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence:  All federal crime victims are seen by family violence victim advocate?s in their office. To help ease the transition and facilitate a connection, the family violence victim advocate will often take the victim and introduce them to the federal prosecutors, federal victim advocate and/or the OVS victim services advocate if needed. 





-CT Sexual Assault Crisis Services: Services were provided at its centers to victims of sexual assault as a result of Internet relationships; victims of sexual assault and human trafficking; Internet stalking and harassment; and interstate sexual assault cases. In all cases, services were coordinated with the FBI and the U.S. Attorney?s Office.

?OVS sponsored a workshop on Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) for clinicians who work with traumatized children and families of sexual/physical abuse.  


?OVS co-sponsored with Mothers Against Drunk Driving a one-day workshop on death notification for local law enforcement personnel.


?OVS provided funding for the Melanie Ilene Rieger Memorial Conference which is an annual statewide conference dedicated to educate the public and service providers on the needs of crime victims in Connecticut.  Over five hundred individuals representing crime victims, OVS, VOCA contractor/subcontractor staff, and the victim assistance community attended the conference.  


?OVS?s Education and Planning Unit continued to build training curricula, provide public presentations, and develop informational material for the public and victim assistance community.  In addition to these activities, the unit provided the following to VOCA victim assistance providers:


oTraining of volunteers at the participating agencies of the CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence (CCADV) and the CT Sexual Assault Crisis Services (CONNSACS).  


oProvided quarterly technical assistance and compensation training for staff of VOCA funded contractors/subcontractors. 


oProvided in-service training to OVS victim services advocates, titles as follows:


?Care of the Sexually Assaulted Patient in the Emergency Room,


?Overview, Victim Services in the Statewide Supervision of Sex Offender Units,


?Prosecution of Driving Under the Influence Cases,


?Overview, Mothers Against Drunk Driving,


?Supporting Families in Bereavement 


Listed below are training topics of note that were attended by VOCA funded contactors/subcontractors:


?Immigration and Trauma


?Domestic Violence: The Invisible Victim


?Rethinking Trauma: A Critical View of Invalidation.


?Vicarious Traumatization


?Connecticut?s Address Confidentiality Program


?Witness Protection Program


?The Department of Children and Families Mandated Reporter Training


?Introduction to the Deaf Culture and Sign Language


?Strangulation, Arrest, and Prosecution


?Survivors Confidentiality and Privacy


?Improving Community Response to Statutory Rape


?HIV and Sexual Assault


?Human Trafficking


?Teen Stalking





Listed below are examples of program activities reported by OVS contractors and subcontractors to improve service delivery for crime victims:





?Community Child Guidance Clinic ? VOCA Project staff and the Children?s Trust Fund delivered a presentation to staff and area services providers entitled ?The Stranger You Know? to discuss project services and the problem of child sexual abuse.


?CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence ? Project Supervisor met with project staff at fifteen of its member programs to review improved data collection techniques and ways to enhance community outreach in order to increase victim referrals to the program. 


?CT Coalition Against Domestic Violence ?Project staff at one center provided informational material for other agency staff and volunteers regarding rules and procedures for filing temporary restraining orders in order to better assist clients in obtaining the orders.


?Wellpath ? The agency reorganized program intake to include triage clinicians to provide initial psychiatric services and improve timeliness of referrals and intake into the program.


?Klingberg Family Centers ? The agency implemented the Trauma Focused-Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (TF-CBT) method for clinical services and implemented outcome measures that benchmark the agency as a national trauma program.

The following is a brief summary of several case examples provided by our subcontractors illustrating how VOCA funds have been used to assist crime victims:


1. VOCA funded psychotherapist provided services to a fourteen-year old female victim of sexual abuse.  This adolescent was referred for counseling after reporting that she had been sexually abused by three adult males while strolling in a park near her home.  At the beginning of psychotherapeutic treatment, this victim was very guarded, insecure and expressed strong feelings of fearfulness and distrust.  The victim?s family members were divided about believing the child?s report.  Therapy sessions were helpful in working with the client and her parents to increase communication, trust and support.  The parents agreed to support their child in making a healthy adjustment.  However, the child continued to experience recurrent, intrusive and distressing recollections of the abuse.  The psychotherapist referred the client for a psychiatric evaluation.  The psychiatrist recommended partial hospital treatment.  The client has improved and is currently attending a group with other adolescent female victims to assist her in realizing that she is not alone in having experienced sexual abuse.





2. Project staff worked with a sixteen-year old female and her eight-year old brother who were referred by CT Department of Children and Families (DCF).  Their father sexually molested them while residing at home.  After years of physical abuse and allegations of sexual abuse, the children were placed into a foster home.  Both children suffered nightmares and their school work was suffering.  Treatment included different strategies to help both clients to open up about the abuse.  The brother engaged in play therapy while the sister wrote journals and practiced in role-play.  Due to the severity of the symptoms, both clients were diagnosed with PTSD.    


3. John Doe, a forty-five-year old male, was assaulted by two males while closing the security doors at the end of his shift. He was struck on the left side of his facing requiring eye surgery. An appointment was made with Mr. Doe where he was assisted with filing a compensation claim with OVS for medical bills and lost wages. He received safety planning and was referred to a local agency for counseling.   


4. The agency victim advocate worked with the victim of domestic violence who was in their shelter. The victim had her three-year old daughter with her. The abuse was severe and the victim was in danger, as the abuser was looking for her. While in the shelter, the victim received counseling around parenting and domestic violence. The advocate worked with the Department of Social Services, Women and Infant Children Food Program, and other community agencies to provide daycare, housing and other basic needs. The victim is also attending a support group at the domestic violence program.  


5. The victim was a seven-year old Caucasian female who received treatment as a primary victim of sexual abuse. Her sister was a twelve-year old Caucasian female who was treated as a primary victim of physical abuse.  Both were residing at the agency?s safe home since their removal from their biological family.  Follow-up services were utilized to communicate information to DCF, the children?s Guardian Ad Litem, the safe home staff, and in attending provider meetings to assist the clients in obtaining services, and in collaboration with community providers.  Therapy for the victim focused on the importance of personal space and sexual awareness of good-touch and bad-touch.  Therapy for her sister focused on enhancing her safety and managing her anxieties.  Both girls received group therapy to enhance their self-esteem.  Family sessions did not occur because their mother was not living with the children at the time of abuse when services were implemented, and the father was the perpetrator of the abuse.  


6. A teen sexually abused for several years by her stepfather, disclosed at her school, and a local sexual assault crisis services agency was called to provide support and accompaniment as she gave her statement to police.  The client?s mother was disbelieving and tensions ultimately drove the client out of the home.  The client stayed in the home of a family friend. The agency provided the teen with counseling and emergency financial assistance. The agency also provided support and advocacy to the family friend within the court system and with DCF.  


7. VOCA project staff completed a case with a mother whose one year old daughter was crushed under a car of a drunk driver. This was a very challenging case emotionally for all involved including witnesses to the crash who independently called the agency for support.  The advocate provided support to three ongoing victims through in-person info/referral, criminal justice support, telephone calls and victim impact statements.

Emerging issues or notable trends impacting services to crime victims in Connecticut were complied from the quarterly reports provided to OVS by each of the contractors that provide VOCA victim assistance.  Below is a sampling of the major trends/issues shared by both OVS and the recipients of VOCA funding: 





-Increase in fuel costs have forced some victims not to attend certain court proceedings to save money.  


-Increases in domestic violence cases related to the recent economic downturn in both the U.S. and the State of Connecticut.  


-There has been an increase in inter-generational sexual abuse where non-offending parents were survivors of sexual abuse as children and now they are bringing their children in for services.  Unfortunately, these parents are refusing to engage in services themselves which can be a problem because many times the sexual abuse of their child triggers negative feelings related to their own history of abuse.  By not engaging in therapy to understand their own trauma issues, the parent(s) remain limited in their ability to understand their children?s abuse and how it?s affected them as a family unit.  


-Funeral costs have risen reducing the beneficial impact of the funeral costs benefit through the crime victims? compensation fund.  


-Due to economic issues, there has been considerable staff turnover in the fields of domestic violence and sexual assault.  


-Rising fuel costs have limited some clients from attending therapy, especially if that client lives in a remote part of the state where they have a long drive to receive services.  


-Victim hesitance to report crimes or receive services due to political climate towards immigrants. 


-Increase in juvenile offenders


-Poverty ? parents needing more support with basic needs


-Lack of affordable mental health services for adults with complex trauma


-Criminal justice systems focus on successful prosecution at the expense of the emotional needs of the crime victims


-Lack of affordable housing hinders domestic violence victims ability to leave shelters or move away from the offender


-Local referral resources for food and other basic needs are closing due to lack of funds


-Lack of employment options for mothers with children


-More cases going to trial, fewer plea bargains


-Increased number of female caregivers in treatment


-Increase in Internet sex crimes


-Decreased interest in police work as a career. Staff shortages result in fewer calls to agency for on scene crisis response with victim as the police are focusing on the crime scene investigation and not the victims? emotional needs.


-People of color having discomfort in sharing stories of child abuse


-Decrease in the number of bilingual individuals interested in volunteering


-Increase in families relocating to CT with previous domestic violence issues


-Increase in street robberies and assaults with serious injuries due to increased gang activity.


-Increase in older female victims seeking services


-Reduced overall funding for agencies has resulted in the closing of satellite offices, reducing the available hours for victim advocates to serve crime victims.


-Increase of dual arrests victims being told that police will arrest both if called out again.

OVS uses VOCA administrative funds to assist its mission to provide statewide leadership and the highest quality advocacy, services, and education guided by the individual crime victim experience.  Specifically, OVS used these funds to support its administrative activities, provide staff and contractor/subcontractor trainings, develop education materials, and non-profit agency coordination.  OVS is responsible for ensuring that all VOCA administrative funds distributed are expended in accordance with VOCA guidelines, state guidelines, and Judicial Branch policies and procedures.  





Below are some examples of allocated VOCA administrative funds for FY 07-08:  





-VOCA administrative funds were used to support OVS staff development through the following activities:


oMedia Relations in Victim Assistance.


oVOCA Victim Assistance Conference, Williamsburg, VA.


oNE Regional Conference Against Child Abuse.


oNational Center for Victims of Crime (attend and present).


oAmerican Prosecutors Research Institute.


oChild Maltreatment Conference





-Training materials for a co-sponsored Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) training.