Carson City June 04, 2021
The Division of Child and Family Services (DCFS) has announced that 63 agencies, including five new agencies, will be awarded the annual Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Assistance Formula Grant for the 2022 State Fiscal Year (SFY22) totaling $18 million.
Approximately $17 million in VOCA Assistance funds will be provided to agencies across Nevada to serve more than 100,000 victims of crime, with an additional $1 million allocated to innovative services.
The $17 million is awarded in four priority areas:
• Sexual Assault, $3,311,877
• Domestic Violence, $4,462,508
• Child Abuse, $5,459,920
• Underserved Populations, $3,320,334
• Other services, $445,361
The $1 million for innovative projects was awarded to 15 agencies that will provide services for targeted programs aimed to serve victims of crime who are homeless, victims of Commercial Sexual Exploitation of Children (CSEC), assist children who are secondary victims of domestic violence, and to expand victim services to areas of rural Nevada that currently have no available services.
Some of the projects include:
• Domestic Violence Intervention Inc. in Churchill County to hire an Assistance Program Director in Yerington and a Rural Advocate in Fernley to expand services to these previously underserved rural areas.
• Great Basin Children’s Advocacy Center in Elko, Eureka, Lander, and White Pine counties to provide for forensic interviews of children, acute and non-acute medical examinations for sexual assault and child abuse victims, adult Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) exams, resource referrals for mental health and after-care, and advocacy for victims and non-offending caregivers.
• University of Nevada’s La Clinica VIVA in Washoe County to provide services to Latino victims in rural Nevada via telehealth and Latino children exposed to domestic violence as secondary victims through a partnership with Washoe County School District.
• Winnemucca Domestic Violence Services serving Humboldt and Pershing counties to provide rapid rehousing to survivors and their children through paying the full deposit and first month’s rent, rental assistance for 3-5 months, financial literacy classes, and job readiness advocacy.
• Bridge Counseling Associates in Clark County to provide outreach to 100+ youth and provide 20 secondary victims of violence with behavioral health services.
• The Children’s Cabinet in Washoe County to provide 24-hour crisis support for youth through the Safe Place Program.
“We are happy to be able to award these funds to the dedicated service providers who stand ready to help Nevadans,” stated Ross Armstrong, Administrator of DCFS. “It is our hope that through focused innovative awards combined with legislative accomplishments during the 2021 Legislative Session, Nevada is on the path to maturing our victim services system.”
VOCA grant funding provides direct assistance to crime victims’ services including crisis counseling, telephone, and on-site information and referrals for resources in the victims’ area, criminal justice support and advocacy, shelter, and emergency housing services. VOCA Assistance funds may also be used to develop new programs that address emerging needs, gaps in services, and additional training for victim service advocates.
Funding priority is given to programs serving victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, child abuse, and underserved populations, which is any victim population that historically or currently has not had access to, or been provided with, specialized or adequate services.
Clark County received 68% of the funding, Washoe County received 20%, and the rural counties received 9%, with the remaining 3% of funding for statewide services.
More information about the VOCA Assistance Formula Grant Program can be found on the DCFS website.
For information or resources, go to the DCFS website Information for Victims page or the Nevada Attorney General’s Victims of Crime website.