Grant Details

The primary purpose of the MVOC Fund is to ensure the implementation of the Declaration of Crime Victims' Rights Amendment to the Maryland Constitution and the Guidelines for Treatment of and Assistance to Crime Victims and Witnesses and other laws adopted to benefit victims and witnesses of crime. MVOC funds support direct services to crime victims and assist with the promotion and distribution of mandated brochures according to Maryland law.

It is highly recommended that grants supported by the Maryland Victims of Crime (MVOC) Fund support at least one of the following purpose areas:

• Coordinating services for crime victims from first response through the criminal justice system and beyond which include individuals in law enforcement, prosecutors' offices, courts, victim service agencies, other state agencies, and non-governmental organizations serving crime victims;
• Expanding and enhancing awareness and training on Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACEs) and promoting trauma-informed practices and the availability of mental and behavioral health treatment to crime victims; 
• Developing, enlarging, or strengthening victim service programs including non-profit organizations, police victim/witness units, and district/circuit court victim/witness units;
• Implementing services and policies to ensure compliance with Maryland's victims' rights laws;
• Developing or improving the delivery of victim services to underserved populations;
• Implementing community-driven initiatives to address the needs of crime victims who are included in underserved populations such as people with disabilities, elder victims of crime, and children of physical and sexual abuse;
• Providing support to specialized domestic violence advocates in courts where a significant number of protection orders are granted;
• Providing state, regional, federal, and national training for crime victim service providers as a sole project for an application or as an addition to a project. Topics may include, but are not limited to: communicating and networking with victim/witness service providers, cross training, interaction/communication with crime victims (i.e., first response, status of case, progress of case), judicial accountability, diversity/language barriers, understanding sexual violence, the dynamics of domestic violence, referring victims for follow-up services, promotion of Jane Doe reporting, and cultural sensitivity;
• Developing and implementing standardized data collection, tracking, and reporting software and processes statewide to ensure timely and accurate outcome measurement capability;
• Developing and implementing an integrated, secure and confidential victim services communication system and protocol for use between victim service organizations, law enforcement, and allied professionals;
• Increasing accessibility to services for crime victims including remote services and transportation needs;
• Increasing accessibility to services for non-english speaking victims through the use of bilingual counselors, case managers, social workers, and victim-witness advocates. Staffing increases will maximize victim service and operational capacity;
• Expanding the use of social media and other public platforms to provide mobile access to victim services and resources (e.g., remote services, support groups, online chatting with VSO, and educational/self-help webinars);
• Establishing resources to aid victims to become self sufficient (i.e. job training, resume building, computer literacy, etc.);
• Implementing a law enforcement based victim advocacy program;
• Enhancing legal services for victims by distributing additional resources to provide legal and witness victim advocate; and
• Developing and expanding the use of hospital-based domestic violence or sexual assault programs.