Increasing Resilience through Victims Services

Jeremy Hagerman BS, FF/EMTP, CA - MDHHS Mass Casualty Resource Coordinator, Victim Resource Task Force

 

In the aftermath of a mass violence incident (MVI), the Victim Resource Task Force (VRTF) stands ready to assist local police, fire, EMS agencies, public health officials and emergency managers. The VRTF is composed of victim advocates who are trauma-informed care providers who may fill various roles after an MVI. One of the bigger considerations that is sometimes overlooked during pre-incident planning for mass violence incidents, is the Family Assistance Center (FAC). An FAC is a temporary facility that is set up to connect victims, survivors and community members with locally available resources and long-term assistance. While FAC’s have a history rooted in providing aid after disasters, the increasing frequency of acts of mass violence outline the need for assistance centers to be established with a focus on providing care for victims of crime.

Michigan’s Division of Victim Services established the Victim Resource Task Force with the purpose of assisting victims of mass violence. Family Assistance Centers often provide services such as food, clothing, and shelter assistance; by including victim services as part of an FAC after a mass violence incident, we provide victims the opportunity to be connect with services tailored to unique individual and community needs. Victims of mass violence will need a support team in place for weeks, and potentially months after the crime; this support starts with the foundation of providing safety and security with an opportunity to process their experience. Victim advocates assist with, and the Division of Victim Services oversee the Victim of Crime Act and Victim Rights grants. These grants assist individuals with medical expenses related to the crime, lost wages and funeral expenses in addition to providing a dedicated point of contact during court proceedings and notification of offender status post-conviction.

Advocates work with victims, not only to complete the necessary compensation paperwork but also to provide trauma mitigation and mental and emotional support. The combination of these tools leads to an increase for individual and community resilience, and a decrease in long term psychological illnesses such as PTSD.

Listening, validating and providing trauma-response education is an important aspect which help people understand their experience, overcome the effects of tragedy and promote a sense of purpose and hope. As part of the crisis response team deployed during the Oregon District Shooting in Dayton, Ohio, Victim Resource Task Force members assisted with individual and group crisis intervention at the established family assistance center. While the local attorney general’s office provided personnel to assist victims with crime victim compensation paperwork, the Ohio Crisis Response Team worked directly with individuals at local hospitals, the family assistance center and in the businesses, which were open at the time of the shooting.

Pre-incident planning for emergency response and recovery efforts during mass casualty incidents requires the additional component of Victim Services. The impact that victim advocates assist with, may be seen across the spectrum of affected persons and community members. Finally, including VRTF coordinators with pre-planning exercises and training is a simple method to identify the benefit that victim services may provide.

 

Learn about Michigan’s Victims Resource Task Force: https://content.govdelivery.com/landing_pages/11924/464883395d48f42a4a3b1bae4414321c