State Victim Assistance Academy Initiative - Iowa Victim Assistance Academy (IVAA)

The purpose of this project is to assist States in developing effective strategies for establishing State Victim Assistance Academies (SVAA) - planning for an SVAA that provides comprehensive, academically-based, fundamental education and training for victim service providers, victim advocates, criminal justice personnel, and allied professionals who routinely interact with victims of crime. The Iowa Organization for Victim Assistance (IOVA), will plan the State Academy for Iowa and will work with University of Iowa as their academic partner.

The strategic goals for Iowa's SVAA in their first (planning) year are to:

1. Develop Steering Committee (Phone calls and letters to identified stakeholders; set meeting
frequency & format);
2. Partner with Academia (Written commitment from the University of Iowa);
3. Develop, Implement and Analize Statewide Training Assessment;
4. Review and Analysis of Curriculum (Review Survey Results, curriculum used in other states, and faculty input to design the curriculum for IVAA);
5. Develop Curriculum (Develop curriculum outline, identify qualification for instructors, etc);
and
6. Develop Financial Plan (Identify expenses, plan for securing funds for match of grant and for
sustainability, etc.).

c/ncf