Lummi Nation Expansion of Victims Services consistent with need

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 award programs supported by the federal Crime Victims Fund (CVF) to develop innovative training and technical assistance, and to provide direct services to improve the overall quality of victim assistance.

The overall goal of the Fiscal Year 2019 Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Program is to provide support to tribal communities to improve services for victims of crime. Under the solicitation, OVC solicited applications for funding to support a comprehensive range of activities including needs assessment, strategic planning, program development and implementation, program expansion, and other activities needed to address the needs of a wide variety of crime victims in tribal communities.

With an award under Purpose Area 2: Coordination and Expansion of Existing Victim Service Program, the program will provide direct legal services to crime victims in the community, draft two new code chapters—a Code of Victims’ Rights and a Sexual Assault Protection Order Code—for incorporation into the Lummi Code of Laws, and offer client case management services to promote healing and self-empowerment. Funding will support: 1) hiring a full-time Tribal Attorney to assist victims of crimes with civil matters; 2) hiring a part-time (50%) legal services advocate, under direction of the Attorney, who will perform intake interviews with clients, manage files, and develop and send routine required correspondence; and 3) approving a hire for a full-time coordinator to assist crime victims in completing a peer support course.
CA/NCF