Victim Assistance Program Inc.

“Form 990 is submitted to the entire board for review and approval prior to filing.”

“The organization's conflict of interest policy is incorporated into the organization's by-laws. All board members are provided with a copy of the by-laws. All new members are required to sign the conflict of interest statement upon joining the board. Annual updates are required by all board members which are used to monitor and enforce compliance. In addition, staff and the board take an active role throughout the year monitoring for potential conflicts of interest.”

“The executive director is evaluated annually and compensation is determined using appropriate salary surveys and other information.”

“Victim assistance program strives to be financially transparent. Financial documents will be provided to individuals upon request and or they may be viewed at www.guidestar.org.”

“In january of 2015, the victim assistance program's board of directors and select staff engaged in a strategic planning process. As a result, a new mission statement, tag line and three year plan was created. The mission of victim assistance program is to empower our community to restore lives impacted by crisis, violence and tragedy; we do this through crisis intervention, court advocacy and trauma therapy. Tag line: from hardship to healing.”

“Advocates to contact victims via phone the day following their victimization. Judicial advocacy assists individuals by helping victims navigate through the municipal court system. Advocates support and educate victims with court proceedings in addition to information on victims' rights. Victims often require assistance with completing protection order paperwork, anti- stalking order paperwork and crime victim compensation paperwork, which all of our advocates are trained to do. Finally, trauma therapy is provided to victims who request cognitive behavioral therapy. Therapy allows victims to create safety plans, develop self-initiated goals and to secure support systems. At the culmination of services, anonymous outcome surveys provide us with the information to determine if we achieve the outcomes set forth at the beginning of the program year. Of the 11 objectives we measure, three of our most important outcomes for the year were as follows: 1. 98% of participants indicated that they had a better understanding of their rights as a victim of crime as a result of this program. 2. 98% of participants indicated that they had a better understanding of how the legal process/criminal justice/immigration process works as a result of this program. 3. 97% of participants indicated that they knew more ways to plan for their safety as a result of this program.”

“As professional development has been identified as a core element of professional victim advocacy services, victim assistance program expanded their professional development program to the community. Victim assistance program is one of two entities, next to the ohio attorney general's office, in the state of ohio, offering a training academy which has been certified as a prerequisite training for those interested in obtaining a provisional credentialing status from the national advocate credentialing program. To ensure quality of care to their clients, all volunteers and staff who may encounter victims, are required to engage in the 40 hour summit victim assistance academy. Since the academy's first class in january 2015, one hundred and forty participants have completed the academy.”