The Crime Victims Compensation Section of the Ohio Attorney General?s Office has been working diligently to shorten the length of time it takes to complete the review of a claim and provide victims monetary assistance.  Perfected Claims is an internal process designed to expedite compensation to victims of crime. To make the process easy for victim advocates, we have prepared an easy-to-follow checklist of the documents and other information needed to file a Perfected Claim ?a claim that at the first submission provides all the necessary documentation for completion without any delay.





The office has conducted training sessions to educate victim advocates on the Perfected Claims process and as a result have received favorable comments from sub-recipients indicating that the sessions have been very effective.  Additionally, the Crime Victims Compensation application and other documents are now available via the internet at http://www.ag.state.oh.us/.





Our Sub-recipients (victim service providers) identified the following issues that hinder victims in filing for compensation benefits: the lack of public awareness and knowledge of availability of assistance, the ten (10) year span of eligibility for victims with felony convictions and the 72 hour report clause.  Additionally, because of the high turnover  within sub-recipient agencies, our office must provide continuous Perfected Claims training. 

Many sub-recipeints encourage collaboration with each other on the local level by coordinating services to victims.  Coordinated services include providing referrals to victims outside the scope of the agency, or assisting with transportation, housing and counseling.





Due to a continuous shortage of funds and resources, sub-recipeints report collaborating with various types of city and county agencies, non-profits, rape crisis programs, domestic violence shelters, law enforcement, hospitals, schools, and child and senior programs.  Additionally, many agencies co-sponsor or host events such as workshops, trainings, or monthly rememberence (Domestic Violence Awareness Month).





Other examples of coordinated public and private efforts within the community to aid crime victims include an agency with a satalitte office called "El Centro de Servicios Sociales" to assist Hispanic crime victims.  Another agency started a legal clinic where private practice attorneys donate time by providing free consultation services to victims.

Many of our sub-recipients report they do not get an opportunity very often to serve federal crime victims, but when they do they are treated with all the same services as any local victim would receive.  A couple of sub-recipients provided examples of service coordination for federal crime victims.  In one county, there was a federal investigation into internet pornography.  The program was able to assist a Victim Advocate from the FBI to inform victims of compensation benefits.  Another agency has been called upon to shelter crime victims referred from federal agencies.  Lastly, another agency responds to bank robberies to provide crisis intervention.  Here in Ohio, the U.S. Attorneys offices have victim advocates at three (3) locations in the state.  Information regarding these advocates and how to contact them is made available in the Ohio Attorney General?s crime victim literature. 

Our office has created a training academy for advocates called Advocates Dedicated to Victim Assistance and Continuing Education (ADVANCE).  In addition to holding basic training for new advocates (Basic Advocacy Skills in Crime Victim Services or the B.A.S.I.C.S. program), we are offering more intermediate training on a monthly basis.  Many of the courses are approved for Continuing Education Units (CEU) through the Counselor, Social Worker & Marriage and Family Therapist board.  Other training opportunities include the office?s annual Two Days in May conference, which is a statewide conference drawing attendance from many disciplines (mental health, criminal justice, victim services).  All programs participate in program evaluation (state requirement for certain programs and others are agency driven) and all Ohio VOCA sub-recipients are required to give victims an Outcome Measure Survey to help determine the quality of services provided by their program.  





Sub-recipients are always seeking and participating in training to help them improve the delivery of services.  One sub-recipient provided training to nursing home staff on preventing, identifying, and reporting elder abuse and victim of crime services.  Another agency conducted a workshop on Crime Victims to law enforcement professionals.  Another agency collaborated with the Division of Police Homicide Unit to prepare a grant proposal to the Office of Criminal Justice and was the only agency in the country to receive a grant award to provide intensive services for families of homicide victims.  





Many sub-recipients provide outreach presentations to the community including colleges and universities.  The outreach presentations provide an opportunity to education the community about services offered at thier agencies, crime victim rights and other topics such as Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, and Vicarious Trauma.

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Many sub-recipients cited recent budget cuts as drastically impacting their programs.   Six Ohio programs have closed due to a combination of factors including decreased VOCA and state funding and a loss or decrease in local and private funding.  Although staff contacted each program to see what assistance could be provided to maintain services, these six programs felt that all things considered, closing was unavoidable.





The overall consensus is that the decrease in funding is impacting service delivery, limiting the continuation of programs, decreasing staff levels and having an adverse affect on resources in general.





Other emerging trends that impact the number and type of crime victims and services being provided include; lack of affordable housing and transportation, increase in the financial exploitation of the elderly, human trafficking, restitution orders not being enforced,  victims of domestic charged as perpetrators, and lack of Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) programs.  Additionally, there has been an increase in Limited English Proficient victims (immigrants and refugees in Ohio) which has created the need for expanding victim services to these underserved populations.

Ohio did not use any funds for administrative purposes during this grant cycle.  All funds were given to local level victim assistance programs to fund direct victim services.