The Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency and the Office of Victims' Services (OVS) strive to provide service professionals with workshops, trainings and networking opportunities that support and enhance the invaluable role that they serve in helping victims of crime.
Foundational Academy
The Foundational AcademyOpens In A New Window assists new victim service professionals funded by VOCA and professionals with new RASA/VOJO responsibilities to identify and understand their roles and job responsibilities as outlined by Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency’s (PCCD’s) Consolidated Victim Service Standards.
The Foundational Academy is a mandatory training for all newly hired victim service staff governed under Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency's (PCCD). Agencies whose oversight organization is the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Rape (PCAR), Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV) and/or National Children's Alliance (NCA), will abide by the relevant oversight organization's training standard. These agencies will not be required to attend the Foundational Academy. For more information please reference the Foundational Academy Document.
This training is supported by a grant awarded to the Pennsylvania District Attorneys Institute (PDAI) by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency (PCCD).
PCCD’s Office of Victims’ Services wanted to encourage capacity-building statewide. They turned to a research group from Penn State Harrisburg and formed a project team of experts from criminal justice, organizational development and training, and data collection and analysis.
The purpose of the project is to enhance the long-term stability, planning, leadership and effectiveness of victim service agencies across the commonwealth. The Organizational Capacity Building Project designed, developed, and continues to deliver appropriate services and technical assistance to improve the effectiveness and long-term sustainability for victim service agencies in the Commonwealth. To find out more information, please visit http://www.pacapacity.net/Opens In A New Window.
The OVS/Penn State project is a significant step in building up the quality and delivery of services to rebuild the lives of victims.
Pathways Conference
PCCD sponsors a three-day conference that provides an opportunity for more than 300 victim service providers and allied professionals to enhance their skills, network, and rejuvenate. The conference is held every two years.
This conference allows for an opportunity to network with victim service and allied professionals (e.g. probation officers, prevention education specialists, social workers, drug and alcohol counselors, and law enforcement). Attendees enhance their knowledge base by learning new techniques and emerging issues used in the victim services field as well as strengthen their leadership, grant management, organizational capacity and recruitment skills.
Governor's Victim Service Pathfinder Awards
The Governor and the Office of Victims' Services annually recognize individuals and a program that provides outstanding services to victims of crime in Pennsylvania. A Governor's Victim Service Pathfinder Award is the most prestigious award that Pennsylvania gives to a victim service professional or program.