Indiana Criminal Justice Institute (ICJI) has received a federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) discretionary grant to provide regional and/or statewide training and technical assistance to victim assistance providers and other entities who work with crime victims. In anticipation of receiving these funds, staff at ICJI looked at current trainings provided around the state, spoke with service providers and surveyed ICJI staff to determine how to best use these funds.
The following training priorities and topics have been determined:
- Statewide Victim Assistance Academy Training for both beginner and advanced (2+ years of experience) professionals.
- Regionalized trainings on topics that will improve services to victims offered a minimum of 9 times over the life of the cycle of the grants, in 3 regional settings across the state, including three days in the northern region, three days in the central region, and three days in the southern region.
- Webinar trainings on important topics that will serve to enhance professionals skills.
ICJI carried out a training survey to assess the training needs of service providers in the state. Agencies are strongly encouraged to review the list shown below, and include many, if not all, of the topics identified by the survey in their applications, as seen below. Topics could include:
- Evidence Based Practices
- Safety Planning with Victims
- Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault and the Judicial System
- Substance Abuse/Use in Domestic Violence/Sexual Assault Victims
- Mental Health
- Trauma Informed Care
- Culturally Specific and Underserved Populations
- Building Resilience
- Professional Behavior and Ethics
- Grant Writing, Budgeting, and Creating Goals and Objectives
- Sexual Assault on College Campuses
- Stalking
- Children and Domestic Violence
- Law Enforcement and Victims Advocates; a Coordinated Approach
- Prosecution and the Law
‹Agencies may apply for reasonable training expenses, including, but not limited to, trainer time and effort, supplies and operating, and trainer and attendee travel costs. The cost of refreshments, meals, trinkets and honorariums are not allowed and should not be included in the application budget. In addition, preference will be given to agencies whose projects do not include project income. For example, a conference or training that does not charge individuals to attend.