Title: Serving Crime Victims With Disabilities: Meet Us Where We Are Series: guide Author: Office for Victims of Crime Published: December 2002 Subject: disabilities, disabled victims, video, underserved victims, victim service providers, services for disabled victims 12 pages 20,480 bytes ---------------------------- Illustrations are not included in this ASCII plain-text file. To view this document in its entirety, download the Adobe Acrobat graphic file available from this Web site or order a print copy and its accomanying video from NCJRS at 1- 800-851-3420 (TTY 1-877-712-9279) or the Office for Victims of Crime Resource Center at 1-800-627-6872 (TTY 1-877-712-9279). ---------------------------- Serving Crime Victims With Disabilities: Meet Us Where We Are Office for Victims of Crime OVC ---------------------------- U.S. Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs 810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531 John Ashcroft Attorney General Deborah J. Daniels Assistant Attorney General John W. Gillis Director, Office for Victims of Crime Office of Justice Programs World Wide Web Home Page www.ojp.usdoj.gov Office for Victims of Crime World Wide Web Home Page www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc For grant and funding information, contact U.S. Department of Justice Response Center 1-800-421-6770 OVC Resource Center 1-800-627-6872 (TTY 1-877-712-9279) www.ncjrs.org OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center 1-866-682-8822 www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/assist/welcome.html NCJ 188514 Preparation of this videotape and discussion guide was supported by grant number 1999-VF-GX-0008, awarded by the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice. The opinions, findings, and conclusions expressed in this document are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the official position or policies of the U.S. Department of Justice. The Office for Victims of Crime is a component of the Office of Justice Programs, which also includes the Bureau of Justice Assistance, the Bureau of Justice Statistics, the National Institute of Justice, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention. ---------------------------- Serving Crime Victims With Disabilities: Meet Us Where We Are Resources for Change This information on some of the national organizations in the victim assistance field is provided as a starting point for disability service providers who want to learn more about serving victims of crime who have disabilities. Many of these organizations have local chapters or can refer individuals to local organizations that can help them if they are victims of crime. You can also use these resources to develop a list of local agencies that are interested in partnering with the disability community to help improve the lives of individuals with disabilities who have been victimized. ---------------------------- OVC Resources Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) Office of Justice Programs U.S. Department of Justice 810 Seventh Street NW., Eighth Floor Washington, DC 20531 202-307-5983 Fax: 202-514-6383 Web site: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc OVC provides quick and easy access to funding information, training and technical assistance, publications, skill-building tools, and other vital information resources to enhance the response to victims of crime. Formally established in 1988 through an amendment to the Victims of Crime Act of 1984, OVC's mission has always been to enhance the Nation's capacity to assist crime victims and provide leadership in changing attitudes, policies, and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime. OVC provides many of the tools to help through its Resource Center and Training and Technical Assistance Center (described below). A major responsibility of OVC is the administration of the Crime Victims Fund, which provides formula grants to the states to help fund their victim assistance and compensation programs. Crime victim compensation programs have been established in every state to help crime victims cope with crime-related expenses such as medical costs, mental health counseling, lost wages, or funeral and burial costs. Crime victim assistance programs provide important services for crime victims, including crisis support, referrals to counseling, advocacy within the criminal justice system, and, in some cases, emergency shelter. For more information on these programs, please visit the OVC Web site or contact the OVC Resource Center. OVC Resource Center (OVCRC) P.O. Box 6000 Rockville, MD 20849-6000 1-800-627-6872 or 301-519-5500 (TTY 1-877-712-9279) E-mail: askovc@ojp.usdoj.gov To order publications online: http://puborder.ncjrs.org OVCRC disseminates comprehensive information and resources for victim service providers and allied professionals, including up-to-date research and statistics, victim-related publications, and other information resources and referrals. OVCRC information specialists provide tailored responses to requests for help and assist with research. OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center (OVC TTAC) 10530 Rosehaven Street, Suite 400 Fairfax, VA 22030 1-866-OVC-TTAC (1-866-682-8822) Fax: 703-279-4673 E-mail: TTAC@ovcttac.org Web site: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/assist/welcome.html OVC TTAC can help agencies and organizations expand their understanding of victims' issues, assess program needs, and establish sound policies. Help is available to identify and secure speakers for conferences and workshops, provide training on victims' issues, find facilitators for focus groups and strategic planning meetings, and access tools and skill-building activities aimed at helping service providers work effectively with crime victims. OVC TTAC offers scheduled trainings developed by OVC grantees and maintains an annual calendar of training events. ---------------------------- General Resources National Center for Victims of Crime (NCVC) 2000 M Street NW., Suite 480 Washington, DC 20036 202-467-8700 (TTY 1-800-211-7996) Hotline: 1-800-FYI-CALL (1-800-394-2255) Fax: 202-467-8701 Web site: www.ncvc.org NCVC provides direct services and resources to victims of crime, advocates for laws and public policies that create resources and secure victims' rights, and delivers training and technical assistance to victim service providers and allied professionals. Through the toll-free number, victims of crime can get referrals to local services and support. National Council on Child Abuse and Family Violence 1025 Connecticut Avenue NW., Suite 1012 Washington, DC 20036 1-800-222-2000 or 202-429-6695 Fax: 831-655-3930 Web site: www.americancampaign.org The National Council on Child Abuse and Family Violence operates a toll-free national helpline that provides referral assistance to victims and others seeking information on child abuse, spouse/partner abuse, and elder abuse and serves as a resource center on family violence and family preservation services. The council also provides national advocacy and public education materials, program and resource development consultation, and training and technical assistance to agencies and volunteers. National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA) 1730 Park Road NW. Washington, DC 20010 202-232-6682 Referral line: 1-800-TRY-NOVA (1-800-879-6682) Fax: 202-462-2255 Web site: www.try-nova.org NOVA's mission is to promote rights and services for victims of crime. NOVA membership includes victim and witness assistance practitioners, criminal justice professionals, mental health professionals, researchers, former victims and survivors, and others committed to the recognition and implementation of victims' rights and services. NOVA supplies the field with publications, community crisis response teams, and a national referral hotline that can help advocates find local victim assistance providers. --------------------------- Child Abuse Childhelp USA/National Child Abuse Hotline 15757 North 78th Street Scottsdale, AZ 85260 480-922-8212 National Child Abuse Hotline: 1-800-4-A-CHILD (1-800-422-4453) Hotline TTY: 1-800-2-A-CHILD (1-800-222-4453) Fax: 480-922-7061 Web site: www.childhelpusa.org Childhelp USA's National Child Abuse Hotline is anonymous, toll free, and available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Counselors are paid professionals. The hotline offers crisis intervention, literature, and referrals to the 55,000 agencies in the Childhelp USA database and has the capacity to handle calls in 138 languages. Child Welfare League of America (CWLA) 440 First Street NW., Suite 310 Washington, DC 20001-2085 202-638-2952 Fax: 202-638-4004 Web site: www.cwla.org CWLA is an association of more than 950 public and nonprofit agencies devoted to improving life for more than 2 million at-risk children and youth and their families. Member agencies are involved with prevention and treatment of child abuse and neglect, kinship and family foster care, adoption, residential treatment, child daycare, family preservation, and adolescent parenting and pregnancy prevention. Other concerns of member agencies include managed care, chemical dependency, housing and homelessness, and HIV/AIDS. CWLA's program experts consult with, train, and help agencies advance their practice in these areas. Children's Defense Fund (CDF) 25 E Street NW. Washington, DC 20001 1-800-233-1200 or 202-628-8787 Fax: 202-622-3510 Web site: www.childrensdefense.org CDF exists to effectively represent America's children, particularly low-income, minority, and disabled children. CDF's goals are to educate the Nation about the needs of children and encourage preventive investments in children. CDF delivers technical assistance, support, and strategic guidance to groups and individuals, including parents, children's advocates, and elected officials. Indian Country Child Abuse Hotline 1-800-633-5155 This hotline is maintained by the Bureau of Indian Affairs to accept reports from callers who have knowledge or reasonable suspicion that a child has been abused in Indian Country or that actions are being taken that would reasonably be expected to result in the abuse of a child in Indian Country. Callers may remain anonymous. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC) Charles B. Wang International Children's Building 699 Prince Street Alexandria, VA 22314-3175 703-274-3900 24-hour hotline: 1-800-THE-LOST (1-800-843-5678) National Child Pornography Tipline: 1-800-843-5678 Fax: 703-274-2220 Web site: www.ncmec.org NCMEC provides assistance to parents, children, law enforcement, schools, and communities in recovering missing children and raising public awareness about ways to help prevent child abduction, molestation, and sexual exploitation. NCMEC has worked on more than 73,000 cases of missing and exploited children and helped recover more than 48,000 children. National Children's Alliance Children's Advocacy Centers 1612 K Street NW., Suite 500 Washington, DC 20006 1-800-239-9950 or 202-452-6001 E-mail: info@nca-online.org Web site: www.nncac.org The National Children's Alliance is a nonprofit organization that provides training, technical assistance, and networking opportunities to communities seeking to establish or improve children's advocacy centers. These centers offer a new way of serving abused children that stresses coordinating investigation and intervention services by bringing together professionals and agencies as a multidisciplinary team for a child-focused approach to child abuse cases. ---------------------------- Drunk Driving Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD) 511 East John Carpenter Freeway, Suite 700 Irving, TX 75062 1-800-GET-MADD (1-800-438-6233) or 214-744-MADD (214-744-6233) Web site: www.madd.org MADD is a nonprofit grassroots organization with more than 600 chapters nationwide. MADD focuses on finding effective solutions to drunk driving and underage drinking problems while supporting those who have already experienced the pain of drunk driving crimes. Victims in communities without a local chapter may receive telephone support, information, and literature by calling the number listed or by accessing the Web site. ---------------------------- Elder Abuse National Association of Triads, Inc. (NATI) 1450 Duke Street Alexandria, VA 22314 703-836-7827 Fax: 703-519-8567 E-mail: terrih@sheriffs.org Web site: www.sheriffs.org/Triad Triad is a community-policing program that partners law enforcement professionals with older volunteers to reduce crime against older persons. NATI is an affiliate of the National Sheriffs' Association that provides support, training, and technical assistance to local Triads throughout the Nation. NATI hosts training events and a national conference, manages a speakers bureau, and produces a quarterly newsletter. NATI also distributes guidebooks, information packets, and videos to interested parties upon request. National Center on Elder Abuse (NCEA) 1201 15th Street NW., Suite 350 Washington, DC 20005-2800 202-898-2586 Fax: 202-898-2583 E-mail: NCEA@nasua.org Web site: www.elderabusecenter.org NCEA provides elder abuse information to professionals and the public, offers training and technical assistance, conducts short-term elder abuse research, and assists with elder abuse program and policy development. ---------------------------- Financial Fraud National Fraud Information Center (NFIC) P.O. Box 65868 Washington, DC 20035 Hotline: 1-800-876-7060 Web site: www.fraud.org NFIC was established in 1992 by the National Consumers League, the oldest nonprofit consumer organization in the United States, to fight the growing menace of telemarketing fraud by improving prevention and enforcement. NFIC's trained counselors help consumers identify the warning signs of possible fraud and direct them to the right places for more information, if needed. Consumers can also report suspected telemarketing or Internet fraud through the NFIC hotline or Web site. ---------------------------- Hate Crime Anti-Defamation League 823 United Nations Plaza New York, NY 10017 212-885-7700 Fax: 212-867-0779 Web site: www.adl.org The Anti-Defamation League helps victims of discrimination or bias-motivated violence achieve redress of justifiable grievances through mediation, administration, or judicial means. The league also works with federal, state, and local law enforcement agencies to provide information and training to ensure appropriate and respectful responses to victims of bias crimes. ---------------------------- Survivors of Homicide Victims National Organization of Parents of Murdered Children, Inc. (POMC) 100 East Eighth Street, Suite B-41 Cincinnati, OH 45202 1-888-818-POMC (1-888-818-7662) or 513-721-5683 Fax: 513-345-4489 E-mail: natlpomc@aol.com Web site: www.pomc.org POMC supports parents and other survivors of homicide victims as they work through the grief process and learn what to expect from the criminal justice system. POMC provides practical information, referrals, telephone contacts, information on the legal ramifications of murder, and help with any problems that bereaved families may face. POMC has contact people and chapters located throughout the country. ---------------------------- Violence Against Women Abused Deaf Women's Advocacy Services (ADWAS) 2627 Eastlake Avenue East Seattle, WA 98102-3213 TTY: 206-726-0093 24-Hour TTY crisis line: 206-236-3134 Fax: 206-726-0017 E-mail: adwas@adwas.org Web site: www.adwas.org ADWAS was founded in 1986 by deaf women to provide services in a sensitive and healing environment for deaf and deaf-blind victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse in the Seattle area. ADWAS also coordinates education programs on topics such as positive deaf parenting, child advocacy and support, and community outreach. With grant funding from the Office for Victims of Crime, ADWAS is working to replicate its program in 15 cities across the Nation that have large deaf populations. National Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NCADV) P.O. Box 18749 Denver, CO 80218-8749 303-839-1852 Fax: 303-831-9251 Web site: www.ncadv.org NCADV is a grassroots membership organization that provides technical assistance, networking, and support to programs and state coalitions that serve battered women and their children. It also provides information and referrals to the general public and the media. National Domestic Violence Hotline (NDVH) P.O. Box 161810 Austin, TX 78716 1-800-799-SAFE (1-800-799-7233) (TTY 1-800-787-3224) Web site: www.ndvh.org With a single call, NDVH links callers to help in their area using a nationwide database that contains information on domestic violence shelters, other emergency shelters, legal advocacy and assistance programs, and social service programs. Help is available, in English or Spanish, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Interpreters are also available to translate an additional 139 languages. National Sexual Violence Resource Center (NSVRC) 123 North Enola Drive Enola, PA 17025 1-877-739-3895 or 717-909-0710 (TTY 717-909-0715) Fax: 717-909-0714 Web site: www.nsvrc.org NSVRC is a central clearinghouse for resources and research within the antisexual violence movement. The center's goals are to enhance the capacity of service providers to respond to the needs of sexual assault victims, to provide information and technical assistance to support effective interventions in preventing sexual violence, and to identify emerging policy issues and research needs in the field. Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN) 635-B Pennsylvania Avenue SE. Washington, DC 20003 202-544-1034 24-hour hotline: 1-800-656-HOPE (1-800-656-4673) Fax: 202-544-3556 E-mail: rainnmail@aol.com Web site: www.rainn.org RAINN operates a national hotline for victims of sexual assault, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The hotline offers free, confidential counseling and support. Callers to the hotline are connected automatically to their local rape crisis center for assistance. Almost 900 rape crisis centers throughout the Nation are affiliated with RAINN. Violence Against Women Office (VAWO) Office of Justice Programs U.S. Department of Justice 810 Seventh Street NW. Washington, DC 20531 202-307-6026 (TTY 202-307-2277) Fax: 202-307-3911 Web site: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/vawo VAWO was established in 1995 to implement the 1994 Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and to lead the national effort to stop domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. VAWO works with U.S. Attorneys to ensure enforcement of the federal criminal statutes contained in VAWA, helps the U.S. Attorney General formulate policy related to civil and criminal justice for women, and administers more than $270 million a year in grants to help states, tribes, and local communities transform the way in which criminal justice systems respond to violence against women. ---------------------------- NCJ 188515