Open Letter From the OVC Director,
John W. Gillis, on OVC Program
Priorities for Fiscal Year 2006

October 19, 2005

Dear Colleagues:

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) is committed to enhancing the Nation's capacity to assist crime victims, and providing a leadership role in changing attitudes, policies, and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime. As authorized by the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA), OVC annually funds a wide array of activities to improve the delivery of services and support for the implementation of rights for crime victims. In May 2005, OVC solicited concept papers for innovative ideas with national scope implications in this regard for FY 2006 funding consideration.

OVC would like to thank you for your submission of a concept paper for FY 2006 funding consideration. The response was tremendous to our call for concept papers (PDF 87 kb). While many of the ideas presented have potential, OVC does not have enough discretionary funding resources to fund all the concepts submitted. Our department went through a rigorous internal review process that involved both staff and management, and I am pleased to announce that I have made some preliminary decisions regarding concepts that OVC will fund in FY 2006.

Some of the concepts that OVC will support at the national level via federal, tribal, state, and local efforts this year include the following:

• A national symposium for Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners.
• The development of Spanish language victim outreach tools.
• Training on facilitating support meetings for victims of traumatic loss.
• Efforts to increase restitution collection and disbursement for crime victims.
• Creation of a National Drug Endangered Children Resource Center.
• Tribal Victim Assistance programs and training and technical assistance

Of course funding is contingent on the passage of the budget and available funding. OVC staff will contact the agencies and organizations that submitted the above concepts regarding next steps in the application and award process.

Thank you for your continued interest in furthering our mission to assist crime victims.

To Director's Biography | To Program Priorities for FY 2005