The Victim Services Assessment (VSA) is intended for PSN teams interested in building a victim service response infrastructure, enhancing existing victim service programs/partnerships, and/or supplementing existing victim services by focusing on a particular service provider system or forms of violent crime.
Goal and Objectives:
- Understand victim service providers and agencies available in your local community.
- Understand how to incorporate victim services and programming in your PSN strategy.
- Identify how to better access and use Victims of Crime Act funding.
- Improve knowledge and understanding of trauma-informed approaches to reducing violent crime.
Intended Audience:
Includes, but is not limited to, law enforcement, victim service providers, legal advocates, prosecutors, and other criminal justice professionals.
Length:
The VSA will be tailored to the participating PSN team’s needs; length will vary but will likely be two full days.
Agenda:
- Complete a pre-assessment questionnaire via phone (two hours).
- Participate in one to two pre-site visit planning calls (one hour each).
- Participate in a site visit with PSN TTA team members, including NCVC and CNA (two days).
- Assess the current state of the site’s victim services and determine strengths and areas of improvement (full day).
- Conduct individual and small group interviews with PSN TTA team members and relevant victim service providers (full day).
- PSN TTA team members review interview results and provide participating PSN team with actionable recommendations for improving its victim services and programming.
- Engage with PSN TTA team on recommended TTA based on VSA results.
SMEs/Trainers:
An expert will be identified based on need or as suggested/recommended by the requester.