Victims of Crime Assistance

About Victims of Crime Assistance

The LKLP VOCA program is funded by the Kentucky Justice Cabinet and is primarily a counseling program dealing directly with the psychological and emotional consequences suffered by victims of various crimes. Persons who are victims of Domestic Violence Crimes are by far the dominant population seeking VOCA services.

Secondary services offered by the VOCA program are Court Advocacy, Case Management, Information and Referral, Personal Advocacy, and Crisis Line Phone Counseling.

The program provides assistance to adults, children, young people and elderly victims of crime. It is closely allied with the Spouse Abuse Shelter and contracts to conduct an interview with each adult who enters, with follow-up counseling as needed. Children of the abused spouse are enrolled in a special children's program because they are victims of the abusive situation and invariably experience severe emotional trauma, even if they are not directly attacked themselves.

Clients come to the LKLP VOCA program via various referral sources; most are self referrals and Spouse Abuse Shelter referrals, but others come from the court systems, Department for Social Services, schools, medical doctors, mental health agencies, private psychiatrists, Family Preservation, community, families and friends.

If you need more information you may call (606) 439-3961.

VOCA Program Highlights

Throughout the past year, Victims Services Program staff and volunteers aided 517 females and 20 males for a total of 537 victims of various crimes. During that time 537 persons received crisis counseling related to victimization. The timely crisis intervention helped to reduce the negative impact of crime and tragedy on traumatized victims. Follow-up services were provided for 218 victims, which included individual therapy, group counseling and family crisis counseling services. The psychological, emotional and practical needs of the victims were met through the counseling provided. Case management and advocacy services were provided for 197 victims. Crisis intervention helped the crime victim have a sense of having control over their situation. Information and referral was provided to 517 victims needing other community services. There were 15 referrals made to the Safe House shelter for protective housing. Further child and spousal abuse was averted for those victims. Up-to-date information about available services/resources within their communities was successfully provided. Coordinating services with other community organizations that aid crime victims was successfully continued. Group treatment services were provided to 58 crime victims. Criminal justice support advocacy was provided for 108 victims involved in court proceedings. Emergency legal advocacy to 63 victims was offered. There were 18 community education/outreach presentations conducted during the contract year. Presentations and interagency networking have been effective in improving the identification and referral of crime victims in the area.

Victim’s feedback surveys are given to victims that receive services from the program. The value of the victim’s survey is to help improve staff performance, and show where staff’s performance is currently. It also shows specifically what the clients receive form the program services or interventions. Solicited feedback from clients also shows how effective the victims feel the intervention and counseling was in meeting their needs.