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The Office for Victims Programs

CVS Connections

September 2024 Monthly Newsletter

Updates & Guidance

Important Updates 

• Deadline for Q8 Budget Modifications: If your agency plans to request a budget modification for your current CVS grant award (ends December 31, 2024), please plan to submit your budget modification along with your Quarter 7 reports (due October 15, 2024). Budget modifications will not be accepted after October 31st, 2024. 
  

• Update on Implementing Changes to the 2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance: Unfortunately, an official plan to allow grantees to request up to 15% indirect as well as to implement other changes announced earlier this year in regards to the 2 CFR 200 Uniform Guidance was not disseminated from our federal funders or the Office of the State Controller. Subgrantees who requested the 15% de minimis rate on their CY 25 budget will be contacted by their Grant Program Manager to update their budgets accordingly. Thank you for your flexibility and patience while working with us to finalize your exhibits for CY 25.

Resources by Funding Source:

• TA Resources for Grantees - ARPA
• TA Resources for Grantees - General Fund
• TA Resources for Grantees - SASP
• TA Resources for Grantees - State VALE
• TA Resources for Grantees - VAWA  
• TA Resources for Grantees - VOCA

Report Specific Resources:

• CVS2 Quarterly Report - Narrative Form Mini-Training
• ARPA/ General Fund Data Report Mini-Training
• Financial Post Award Training Slides (Includes information on completing the financial report & payment request)

New DOJ Guidelines for the Prosecution of Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault

Recently the US Department of Justice released their new DOJ Framework for Prosecutors to Strengthen Our National Response to Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence Involving Adult Victims. The framework sets out five guiding principles for prosecutors to use that combine decades of prosecutorial experience with a strong focus on trauma-informed, healing-centered practices.

While this framework is written for prosecutors, the DOJ thinks it is important that the guidelines be distributed widely; so that law enforcement, judicial personnel, and victim service providers can also have insight into the process that DOJ suggests to hold abusers and perpetrators responsible for their crimes.

To help do our part, we will be featuring each of the five principles in our newsletter over the next few months. We encourage you to look at the framework in its entirety and learn how your programs and those you serve can support and benefit from these new guidelines.

Grantee Resources

Learning Opportunities

• Activating Change and the International Association of Forensic Nurses are offering a 3-part webinar on Supporting Patient Survivors with Intellectual Disabilities in Medical Forensic Healthcare. This series is designed for clinicians who perform sexual assault medical forensic exams and will cover:
  • September 9th: Supporting Patient Survivors with Intellectual Disabilities in Medical Forensic Healthcare: Sexual Violence in the Lives of People with Intellectual Disabilities
  • September 19th: Key Considerations for Clinicians Providing Effective Care to Patient Survivors
  • September 23rd: Making the Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam Accessible for Patients with Intellectual Disabilities
• Violence Free Colorado and Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault are co-hosting an Executive Directors' Summit open to Executive Directors from member programs and DVP-funded organizations. The Summit is one and half days, held on September 12-13, and there are a limited number of travel scholarships available.
• The Colorado Coalition Against Sexual Assault and the Colorado Coalition for Restorative Justice Practices have opened registration for the Restorative & Transformative Justice Summit 2024. The summit will be held on September 25th in Denver.
• Kingdom Builders Family Life Center is offering free registration to their Domestic Violence Conference on October 9-11 for all survivors of domestic violence, first responders (including law enforcement, emergency medical personnel), system-based advocates, community-based advocates, and college students majoring in social work/human service or criminal justice. Those not covered under the free registration will be able to access a reduced rate. 
• The Institute for Coordinated Community Response is accepting applications for their free, year long training program. The program is available to teams comprised of a law enforcement officer, prosecutor and advocate who are from rural, under-resourced counties across the country. The deadline to apply is October 11th. 

Free Tools

• End Violence Against Women International is offering a free, virtual Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examination practicum. This practicum utilizes patient simulations and hands-on activities to cover topics that include: medical/forensic history taking, physical head-to-toe examination, evidence collection, medical/forensic documentation, crime lab analysis and courtroom testimony.
• Activating Change is offering a free Language Access Planning for Deaf Survivors toolkit. The toolkit provides information and practical strategies to remove barriers that prevent deaf people from accessing services and create more accessible and culturally responsive services.
• The Tribal Youth Research Center published a chart illustrating the differences between strength-based and deficit-based language to improve relationships through respectful and appropriate language.

Congratulations!

The Division of Criminal Justice recently held their Employee of the Year Celebration and the Office for Victims Programs staff received multiple awards.

Team Productivity Award OVP Grants Team

Employee of the Year Jill Nore, SAVE Administrator

Innovation Award Camerron Resener Human Trafficking Training and Technical Assistance Lead

Important Dates

September 2024

Hispanic Heritage Month (September 15th- October 15th)

September 5: Countering Bias Against Victims from Asian, Asian American, and Pacific Island Communities in Sexual Violence, Domestic Violence, Stalking, and Human Trafficking Prosecutions (AEquitas)*

September 6: September Coaching Series: Finding Data on Community Demographics (CVR)* 

September 6: Untangling POA Abuse: Equipping Law Enforcement for Effective Response (Elder Justice Initiative)*

September 9th: Supporting Patient Survivors with Intellectual Disabilities in Medical Forensic Healthcare: Sexual Violence in the Lives of People with Intellectual Disabilities (Activating Change & International Association of Forensic Nurses)*

September 10: 2024 Legislative Update (CCASA)*

September 10: BWJP/NCPOFFC Critical Issues Forum: U.S. v. Rahimi (National Center on Protection Orders and Full Faith and Credit)*

September 12: Barriers to Reporting Bias: Trust, Trauma, and Threat (NCVLI)*

September 13: September Coaching Series: Finding Data on Reported Crime—State and Local  (CVR)* 

September 16-18: National Adult Protective Services Association (NAPSA) Conference (NAPSA)*

September 18: Trauma-Informed Legal Services (Rocky Mountain Victim Law Center)*

September 19th: Key Considerations for Clinicians Providing Effective Care to Patient Survivors (Activating Change & International Association of Forensic Nurses)*

September 20: September Coaching Series: Finding Data on Violent Deaths in your State   (CVR)* 

September 23rd: Making the Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Exam Accessible for Patients with Intellectual Disabilities (Activating Change & International Association of Forensic Nurses)*

September 24: Essential Training for Effective Incorporation of Victim Services (Justice Clearinghouse)

September 25: Inherited Trauma: How It Shapes Who You Are (NCVLI)*

September 25-26: Restorative & Transformative Justice Summit 2024 (CCASA & Colorado Coalition for Restorative Justice Practices)*

September 26: AEquitas and SPARC Office Hours: Doxing (AEquitas & SPARC)*

September 27: September Coaching Series: Finding Data on Reported Crime-- Campus and Tribal Communities   (CVR)*

October 2024

Domestic Violence Awareness Month

October 1: Stalking & Intimate Partner Violence (SPARC)*

October 3: Emotional Labor: Are You Working Double Time? (Justice Clearinghouse)*

October 8: Safeguarding the Innocent: Combatting Internet Crimes Against Children (Justice Clearinghouse)

October 9-11: Changing the Narrative Domestic and Sexual Violence Conference 2024 (Kingdom Builders Family Life Center)*

October 10: Recognizing Trauma in Older Adults and Adopting Trauma-Informed Principles: Implications for Law Enforcement (Elder Justice Initiative)*

October 15: Quarter 7 Reports and Payment Requests Due

October 17: Using Research to Enhance Incorporation of Victim Services (Justice Clearinghouse)*

October 28: Beyond Intimate Partner Stalking: Acquaintance, Stranger, and Family Offenders (SPARC)*

October 31: Deadline for Q8 Budget Modifications

*Training opportunities and resources provided by external organizations. We do not endorse any of the trainings or resources listed.

Submit requests & opportunities for future editions to cvsgrants@state.co.us.

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