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Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Assistance Funding

    Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Assistance Funding

      What is the problem?

      Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) victim assistance funds are federal funds that can be used to support services for victims and survivors of gun violence. Many of the services eligible for VOCA victim assistance funds are already being provided by gun violence intervention programs, such as street outreach and hospital-based violence intervention programs. VOCA victim assistance grants should be used to help reduce gun violence and support gun violence survivors.

      Local community-based organizations are in need of more funding to provide responsive services to victims of gun violence. These organizations have been delivering these critical services for years, healing families and communities while preventing future gun violence.

      Which states have targeted solicitations to use federal Victims of Crime Act funds for gun violence intervention or victim services funding?

      8 states have adopted this policy

      AL AK AZ AR CA CO CT DE FL GA HI ID IL IN IA KS KY LA ME MD MA MI MN MS MO MT NE NV NH NJ NM NY NC ND OH OK OR PA RI SC SD TN TX UT VT VA WA WV WI WY

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Alabama has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Alaska has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Arizona has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Arkansas has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      California has adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Colorado has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Connecticut has adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Delaware has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Florida has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Georgia has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Hawaii has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Idaho has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Illinois has adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Indiana has adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Iowa has adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Kansas has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Kentucky has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Louisiana has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Maine has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Maryland has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Massachusetts has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Michigan has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Minnesota has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Mississippi has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Missouri has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Montana has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Nebraska has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Nevada has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      New Hampshire has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      New Jersey has adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      New Mexico has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      New York has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      North Carolina has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      North Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Ohio has adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Oklahoma has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Oregon has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Pennsylvania has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Rhode Island has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      South Carolina has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      South Dakota has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Tennessee has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Texas has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Utah has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Vermont has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Virginia has adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Washington has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      West Virginia has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Wisconsin has not adopted this policy

      Funding for Services for Victims of Gun Violence

      Wyoming has not adopted this policy

      How it Works

      Local community-based organizations are in need of more funding.

      A Fund for Healing: VOCA Grants for Violence Reduction Report

      VOCA victim assistance grants can be used to fund community-based organizations providing services to gun violence victims and survivors. However, historically, VOCA victim assistance funds have not been granted to services focused on gun violence victims and survivors. VOCA victim assistance funding can and should be utilized to support services to gun violence victims and to help stem cycles of violence. States and cities can be proactive in directing VOCA victim assistance funds to gun violence victim services.

      Among the gun violence intervention services eligible for victim assistance funding are hospital-based violence intervention programs, street outreach programs, and trauma recovery centers.

      By the numbers

      Myth

      VOCA victim assistance grants cannot be used to support gun violence intervention programs.

      Fact

      Many gun violence intervention organizations provide VOCA-eligible services to gun violence victims. Among these eligible services are crisis intervention, safety planning, mental health counseling, case management, and peer-to-peer support.

      Featured Resources

      Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Assistance Funding

      All Resources

      Did you know?

      From 1993 to 2009, 9 percent of victims of serious violent crime received assistance from a victim service agency.

      Everytown for Gun Safety. “A Fund for Healing: VOCA Grants for Violence Reduction”. Everytown for Gun Safety. (2018). https://bit.ly/2DgXLWd