Reducing Violence Against American Indian Women: Strategic Planning for a Victim Service Agency in Arizona

In May 2013, OVC released the Vision 21: Transforming Victim Services Final Report. The Vision 21 initiative examined the current framework of the victim assistance field in the United States. The initiative was the first comprehensive assessment of the field in nearly 15 years. The FY 2015 Vision 21 Innovation Grants: Enhancing and Transforming Services for Victims of Crime solicitation furthers the goals of Vision 21 through 8 purpose areas. Purpose area #1 (State Strategic Planning) focuses on developing, enhancing supporting, and/or institutionalizing a cross-cutting strategic planning process at the local, tribal, and state levels, involving all stakeholders, including crime victims.

Under this OVC-funded state strategic planning effort, AZ Board of Regents on behalf of Arizona State University plans to develop strategic approaches for leveraging resources to reach and serve more victims of crime. To accomplish this goal AZ Board of Regents on behalf of ASU will develop a comprehensive and systematic strategic plan for a victim service agency that primarily serves American Indian women. The second goal will be to identify and address gaps in knowledge regarding the nature of victimization and services. The project will offer Arizona (specifically Page Regional Domestic Violence Services - a private, non-profit service provider serving primarily Native American victims of domestic and sexual violence in and around Navajo Nation), unique information about the needs (met and unmet) of victimized American Indian women. This information will assist in conducting a strategic plan and developing practical recommendations for improving the effectiveness of services developed to directly to help victims of violence and abuse.
CA/NCF