Enhancing Community Responses to the Opioid Crisis:Serving Our Youngest Crime Victims

OVC’s mission is to enhance the nation’s capacity to assist crime victims and provide leadership in changing policies and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime. OVC achieves this mission, in part, by administering discretionary award programs supported by the federal Crime Victims Fund to develop innovative training and technical assistance, and to provide direct services to improve the overall quality of victim assistance. The purpose of this solicitation is to address an urgent gap in crime victim services related to the opioid epidemic and to expand upon existing or establish new programs to provide services to children and youth who are victimized as the result of the opioid crisis. Projects selected under this solicitation will support service providers in expanding their current scope and expertise to ensure that children and youth—the most vulnerable victims impacted by the opioid crisis—are supported as they heal from the impact of crime and substance abuse.

With this award, CHRIS 180, Inc., will leverage its longstanding community partnerships and expertise in mental health, child advocacy, and family welfare to reach the youngest crime victims of the opioid crisis (ages newborn through 17) in DeKalb and Fulton Counties. CHRIS 180 will provide direct support and services to impacted children and families by conducting outreach, assessing for needs, providing mental health services, and connecting to local community resources. They will also train partners and the community in how to identify and respond to young victims and lead a partner coalition to provide expansive community awareness and advocacy to give a voice to the opioid epidemic’s most vulnerable and silent victims. (CA/NCF)