Revised Consolidated Victim Service Program Standards and 'Changes" Page

On November 14^th, 2023, the Victims Services Advisory Committee approved several updates to the OVS Consolidated Standards as well as updates to the ‘Changes’ page found within the Consolidated Standards. The updates affect the following standards:

Ethical Standards for Victim Services Program Staff

The first update involves the Ethical Standards for Victim Services Program Staff, specifically section 2.07 Harassment in that required sexual harassment training for program staff, students, trainees, and colleagues shall occur every two (2) years, as needed.

Collaboration With Community Agencies

The update to the Collaboration with Community Agencies standard reiterates the importance of collaboration with other agencies within the service area to effectively manage common issues victims face and to enhance service provisions.

Court Orientation

The Court Orientation standard has been updated to include the expansion of court orientation responsibilities to include victims, witnesses, family members, and significant others.

Systems Advocacy

Updates to the Systems Advocacy standard expand upon the many systems/networks crime victims interact with where victim service providers must be a meaningful part of these systems to improve responses, including active participation with marginalized groups and communities.

Victims' Rights Notification

The final revision is the update to the Victims’ Rights Notification standard. This update reiterates timely and accurate rights notifications to victims and emphasizes ongoing communications with relevant parties for information and support.

All Victim Services Programs who have OVS as their oversight entity will be required to submit policies and procedures during scheduled monitoring relevant to the newly updated standards to include Collaboration with Community Agencies, Court Orientation, Systems Advocacy, and Victims’ Rights Notifications. The policies and procedures will be reviewed during programmatic monitoring visits beginning January 1^st, 2024 to ensure they meet the updated areas of the standards.

In addition to updates to several standards, the ‘Changes’ page within the Consolidated Standards has also been updated. This page now highlights which standards have been updated, a brief overview of the updated information within the standard, when the change was approved by VSAC, and the date which the policies and procedures relating to the standard will be reviewed in programmatic monitoring. 

Inquiries regarding these updates may be directed to Heather Cureau, OVS Program Supervisor, by emailing hcureau@pa.gov or by calling 717.265.8712.

Annual STOP Muskie Report

The STOP Program Reports/Muskie Reports for calendar year 2023 will be due on a yet to be determined date in March 2024.

The reason for the delay in the due date is because the Muskie School of Social Work and the Office on Violence Against Women are launching an updated web-based tool for progress reporting. The web-based tool is not complete, but you can review a sample of the updated Muskie Report here. There are some new demographic categories and questions. Please note that PCCD has been told that subgrantees will not be penalized if, on the 2023 Muskie Report, they do not have data to report for these new items.

PCCD’s Office of Victims’ Services strongly suggests that subgrantees review the sample form, identify any additional data requested that is relevant to your county’s STOP project, and formulate a plan for collecting that data beginning January 1, 2024. In the meantime, subgrantees should continue with their current data collection strategy through the remainder of 2023.

The PCCD OVS will provide updated information on the revised reporting form, submission tool and due dates as we learn additional details from OVW.

If you have any questions, please contact your grant program contact.

After The Crisis: Helping Young Children Heal

A resource that offers tips to parents on how to help young children, toddlers, and preschoolers heal after a traumatic event.

Please click here to access.

Economic Empowerment For People Who Have Experienced Human Trafficking: A Guide For Anti-Trafficking Service Providers

This guide is intended to serve as a foundation for organizations considering starting, expanding, or refining programs addressing economic empowerment of people with lived experience of human trafficking.

Please click here to read.

Safe Centers Help Victims Of Domestic Violence

Luzerne County Safe centers, located at police stations across the county help victims file for emergency protection from abuse, or PFA orders, after the courts close. 

Please click here to read.

Coping With The Holidays After The Death Of A Loved One

These suggestions were provided by Janice Harris Lord, a licensed clinical social worker (LCSW-ACSW) and professional counselor (LPC) in Texas. Lord's guidance is for those who have experienced profound loss enter the holiday season.

Please click here to read.

Legitimizing Victim Counsel In 2023

To truly legitimize victims’ rights, and the role of victim counsel, efforts need to extend beyond work in individual cases, to ensure the laws, policies, and systems are in place to make victims’ rights meaningful.

Please click here to read.

Solutions To Common Hotline Challenges: Phone, Chat, Text, Scheduling, Reporting And Burnout

Do survivors reaching out to your agency experience difficulty reaching your advocates due to bad call quality, dropped calls, or long hold times? Do you have to fix mistakes by your answering service? Do they sometimes send calls to the wrong volunteer or staff member? Would you like to offer chat and text, but can't find a good option that prioritizes privacy and is easy to use? There are solutions! We'll go over common challenges that DV hotlines face and share what we've seen work at agencies across the country.

Please click here to view

16 Days Of Activism Against Gender Based Violence

The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that kicks off on 25 November, and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day. Every year, the UNITE Campaign focuses on a specific theme and this year’s is “UNITE! Invest to prevent violence against women and girls”. 

Please click here to view

Professional Development Scholarship

OVC is offering Professional Scholarships for service providers to attend trainings and conferences to grow their skills. Eligible applicants include service providers from any organization, public, nonprofit, or faith-based, who provide direct victim services within the United States, the District of Columbia, American Samoa, Guam, Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands. Scholarship funds are available for reimbursement of expenses of up to $1,000 for individuals, $1,500 for individuals traveling to or from the contiguous United States, and $5,000 for multidisciplinary teams. 

Please click here to read.

Children And Domestic Violence: Listening And Talking To Your Child About Domestic Violence

Provides parents with information on how to talk to children about domestic violence. This fact sheet discusses the importance of listening and talking to children about domestic violence.

Please click here to read.

National Town Hall on Mass Violence: Helping the Helpers: Addressing Needs of First Responders following MVIs

Nov 30, 2023 03:00 PM

At the conclusion of the National Town Hall, participants will be able to:

• Describe the personal and professional perspective of a Police Chief who responded to a Mass violence Incident, and lessons learned.

• Describe the personal perspective of a career-long first responder whose lived experience includes the murder of his mother in a hate-motivated mass violence incident.

• Identify the scope of immediate-, short- and long-term supportive services to help first responders strengthen their personal resilience in the aftermath of a mass violence incident.

• Describe the most important skills and strategies needed for first responders.

Please click here to register.

PennCAC is offering an ongoing opportunity for CAC professionals and their MDT partners to gain ongoing CSEC education through CSEC OFFICE HOURS. 

Office hours are offered twice per month and are staffed by lived experience experts, lived experience experts offer a powerful voice for change.  

Please click here to register.

Understanding Civil Restraining Orders: Domestic Violence, Extreme Risk Protection Orders, and More

Legal services attorneys play a critical role in decreasing risk for clients struggling with family law conflicts, child custody disputes, domestic violence, threats of suicide, workplace violence concerns, and stalking situations. While current state law varies nationally, federal law and policy in this area plays an important role and both state and local policies help shape options for legal advocates and their clients.

Please click here to access.

Resiliency Reimagined Virtual Forum

Tuesday, December 5, at 6:30 pm Mountain Time/8:30 pm EST

The purpose of this this event is to encourage and equip our community to reflect and implement a trauma-informed approach to living a life of resilience and recovery.

Please click here to join live.

Encryption Basics For Victim Service Providers

Tuesday, December 05, 2023, 11:00AM

Presenters will focus on the basics of encryption for service providers and its importance in ensuring confidential and secure communications and data management.

Please click here to register.

HAVIN Training

HAVIN will be hosting Lt. Mark Wynn

Monday, December 18, 2023 7:30-3:30

Please click here to register.

Human Trafficking Response Academy

NOVA's HTRA is an introductory to intermediate-level course for victim advocates and allied professionals working with survivors of human trafficking.

The HTRA will take place Monday, January 22nd - Thursday, January 25th, 2024 and will be 3 full days and 1 half day of training. Access to Zoom is required for enrollment and participation in the course.

Please click here to register.

Please click here to view current job opportunities.

Please click here to view current job opportunities.

Please click here to view current job opportunities.

Please click here to view current job opportunities.

Please click here to view current employment opportunities.