A School-Based Drug Endangered Children/Trauma Response

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, Dakota Drug and Alcohol Prevention, Inc., will build upon past statewide drug endangered children efforts and will establish a school-based Drug Endangered Children/Trauma Response to quickly reach and support children and youth who are crime victims of the opioid crisis. The grant will support staffing of school counselors in the Canton and Dell Rapids School Districts (Minnehana and Lincoln Counties) to serve as onsite contacts who will provide immediate responses to children and youth who are identified as crime victims by law enforcement and school staff. The project team will provide training and ongoing support to school staff and law enforcement to ensure those who encounter children on a daily basis have the information and tools they need to fully support these young victims. (CA/NCF)