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DCJS Victims Services News |
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VSTOP Agency Spotlight: Northern Virginia Family Services
Tierra Smith, VSTOP and VSDVVF Program Coordinator
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Northern Virginia Family Services (NVFS) of Falls Church, Virginia has been providing comprehensive services to families since 1924. The organization was initially established by volunteers to “strengthen and empower families” in an effort to create healthy communities. Click below to read more about how NVFS has used VSTOP and other funding “to ensure that everyone in need, at every stage of life, maximizes their potential and fully contributes to a thriving community”. |
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Elder Abuse Resources
Chrissy Wengloski, Victims Services Program Specialist
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This summer, take time to learn how you can better serve victims of elder abuse.
Throughout the COVID-19 pandemic, victim service providers for nearly all populations have expressed concerns about increased rates of abuse combined with under-reporting. Elder abuse is no different. As vaccine counts continue to rise and COVID cases begin to fall, your agency may see an increase in older adults seeking your services. Courtney O’Hara of Virginia Center on Aging’s Abuse in Later Life Program says, “Older adults, the hardest hit by the pandemic, were told to stay home to stay safe. But what if home isn't safe? Isolation is the biggest risk factor when screening for elder abuse. As people are vaccinated and emerge from this pandemic, I believe we'll begin to get a better understanding of just how dangerous this time was for our seniors.”
This is a good time to reach out to any other organizations in your community that serve older adults and find ways you can collaborate. Specifically, Ms. O’Hara says this is the time to connect with your local area agency on aging (find yours here). She says, “Amplify their work to combat social isolation and partner with them to make sure your outreach efforts are designed to meet this unique moment.”
Some resources that can help you serve older adults in these especially isolating and challenging times:
Virginia Center on Aging: Abuse in Later Life Program. This program is not only a DCJS VSTOP Subrecipient, but their “Abuse in Later Life Program tackles the issue of abuse of adults 50 and older by bringing together professionals from such diverse fields as law enforcement, victim advocacy, social services, the faith community, criminal justice, housing, healthcare, aging services, and more.” While headquartered in Richmond, they have pivoted all trainings to Zoom and are now more accessible than ever to all parts of the Commonwealth.Their webpage includes links on where to report elder abuse and more information about their work: https://vcoa.chp.vcu.edu/programs/abuse-in-later-life/
Reviewing these resources can help victim serving agencies in the Commonwealth ensure that older adults have access to the services they need.
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June is Elder Abuse Awareness Month |
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Understanding Post Trauma Impact
Julia Fuller-Wilson, State Crisis Coordinator and Federal VAWA Grant Administrator
There has been a lot of research and focus on individual trauma and how we can ensure that our services are meeting the needs of trauma survivors. However, the effect of trauma on communities is often overlooked.
In this article, Julia Fuller-Wilson explains the path of healing after community violence.
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Trauma, Resilience, and Inclusive Services –
An Interview with Melody Pannell, MSW, M.DIV, MACE, Resilience Educator and Therapist
In this interview, Jennifer Kline, DCJS Improving Criminal Justice Responses Program Coordinator talks with Melody Pannell, Resilience Educator and Therapist about the strategies the Women's Initiative in Charlottesville, Virginia uses to make its programs and services inclusive for marginalized and underserved women who have experienced trauma.
Interested in learning more about Melody? You may read her bio here.
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Grant Closeout Reminders
Chad Felts, Victims Services Grant Program Specialist
DCJS Victims Service Program Specialist, Chad Felts, outlines important reminders for current fiscal year 2021 grant programs, which includes the VOCA Victims Services Grant Program (VSGP), the Victim/Witness Grant Program (VWGP), and the Virginia Sexual & Domestic Violence Victim Fund (VSDVVF), as June 30, 2021 marks the end of the grant period. Fourth quarter reporting requirements for all three of these programs will be completed in GMIS, before transitioning to the new grants management system, OGMS, for fiscal year 2022.
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Children's Bill of Rights
Haymanot Cummings, Victims Services Program Specialist
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The month of May was National Foster Care Month and national data indicates that on September 30, 2018, there were an estimated 437,283 children in Foster Care. This number was captured as a point in time count of a single day across the nation. According to the Virginia Department of Social Services the number of children in Foster Care, in Virginia, is nearly 5,400. We know a family’s introduction into the Child Welfare arena impacts many more people than just these numbers demonstrate. We know the impact whether positive or negative is lifelong.
With my previous experience in the child welfare system, I struggled with all the reports I have reviewed and with all of the atrocities I have heard that continue to be perpetrated on children by the “helpers”. We need a Children’s Bill of Rights as there is currently no consensus or framework surrounding this on a national level and many state levels. As adults, we have a framework that guides what we are to expect from our local, state, and national government. This is not to say the adult framework is without any flaws and major issues but it is a guiding light. Children currently have a patchwork of research, ideas, and best practices that leads to what we are to expect from adults for them. Children will, unfortunately, continue to be marginalized/abused by parents which leads to substantiated abuse reports or some kind of investigation. The system then further marginalizes children with some of the adults that provide services to children and this isn’t unique to child welfare but does extend to medical care, education, and the juvenile criminal justice system.
The Campaign for Children provides a Fact Sheet on the provision of a Children’s Bill of Rights. This particular framework “is centered around three core areas that are paramount to the healthy development of a child. Rights under each of these core areas should be considered each time decisions are made concerning a child”. The three core areas are Physical Well-Being, Social and Emotional Well-Being, and Educational and Life Skills. This idea and framework is just the beginning for me personally in my interaction with children. I would like to leave you all with this quote from Toni Morrison which is near and dear to me “I dream a dream that dreams back to me”. Everything begins with a dream. May we all dream a dream for children that dreams back to us; one that doesn’t allow us to just accept but forces us to keep dreaming of a better future.
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Save the Date:
September 14–16, 2021
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The Virginia Victims Fund (VVF) is proud to announce the upcoming "Virginia Victims Fund Virtual Symposium". This three-day event, sponsored by the International Workers' Compensation Foundation (IWCF), will illustrate the intersection of victim compensation and victim assistance in the field of victims’ services. Sessions will highlight new ideas, offer innovative strategies, and transformative services to enhance the response to crime victims and their families.
Click here to sign up with IWCF to receive notice when registration opens.
Questions? Email VVF here
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DCJS Sexual Exploitation Treatment and Training Series |
The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS) is pleased to announce that limited seats are available for both the Clinical Sexual Exploitation Treatment and Training Services (SETTS) from July 27–28, 2021 and the Case Management Sexual Exploitation Treatment and Training Services (SETTS) sessions July 12–13, 2021.
The Clinical SETTS provides education and training services for clinical professionals treating human trafficking survivors. This training will further explore clinical interventions, including screening, assessment, and crisis focused on mental health interventions. The SETTS Curriculum provides specific approaches to treatment that rely on cognitive-behavioral, play-based, psychodynamic, interpersonal/relational, family systems, and other clinical frameworks. This training will offer actionable strategies to enhance clinical services for survivors within clinical treatment programs and maintain the sustainability of professional self-care while working with high-risk population groups. Click here to register.
The Case Management SETTS training will offer actionable strategies to enhance services for survivors within community-based advocacy programs and maintain the sustainability of professional self-care while working with high-risk population groups. This training will explore: how to identify staff needs and build capacity; intake process (identification); understanding and addressing complex trauma, case management strategies and interventions; and trafficking-specific multidisciplinary team approaches. A focus on the collaborative process is included to promote quality of care and effective outcomes that enhance the physical, emotional, psychological, and financial health of survivors. Click here to register.
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Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services www.dcjs.virginia.gov
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