Purpose of This Project

OVC funded two grantees under the Multidisciplinary Responses to Crime Victims with Disabilities cooperative agreement to replicate their innovative models for improving the quality of services provided to crime victims with disabilities, increasing their access to the criminal justice system, and helping to track the number of crimes against persons with disabilities. One grantee focused on a statewide replication model (see State-Level Replication Guide). The other grantee—SafePlace, a domestic violence and rape crisis center in Austin, Texas—focused on a community-level replication model, which is the topic of this guide.  

OVC and SafePlace issued a nationwide RFP (request for proposal) seeking local victim service agencies that wanted to become pilot sites for replicating SafePlace’s model. Each of the three agencies chosen developed an advisory committee, conducted a needs assessment, developed and implemented a community plan for tracking crimes against persons with disabilities, increased accessibility for persons with disabilities in their own agencies, provided outreach and education to persons with disabilities and service providers, and created strategic, evaluation, and sustainability plans. While each pilot site followed these specific tasks, each also approached the project differently, modifying the model to fit its particular community. SafePlace administered the project, provided subgrants, and offered training, resources, materials, guidance, and technical assistance.