NCJ Number
190688
Date Published
2001
Length
163 pages
Annotation
After profiling the National Victim Assistance Standards Consortium, this report presents the Standards for Victim Assistance Programs and Providers developed by the Consortium, along with related materials.
Abstract
The National Victim Assistance Standards Consortium was established to address standards and credentialing for victim assistance providers. In achieving this, the Consortium is to reach across geographic and philosophical divides to forge a common ground in victim assistance professional development. The Consortium's efforts included an indepth review of literature on victim services, a review of existing standards, and a series of Town Hall meetings hosted for victim assistance providers and policymakers across the country. Consortium members held meetings to integrate input from the field, discuss issues, and draft ideas for model standards. Direct service providers, administrators, researchers, educators, and activists provided input on the draft standards before the standards were finalized by the Consortium. The Standards for Victim Assistance Programs and Providers include three sets of standards: Victim Assistance Program Standards, Competency Standards for Victim Assistance Providers, and Ethical Standards for Victim Assistance Providers. The standards are framed by a Working Definition and Mission Statement, Guiding Values for Victim Assistance, Guidelines for Implementing Standards, and Sample Assessment Tools. Also included is a compendium of Promising Practices in Professional Development, a Directory of Credentialing Programs, a Directory of Related Standards, and a listing of Professional Development Resources, including books, curricula, and software.