History
In
1995, the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) funded the first National Victim Assistance Academy (NVAA) coordinated by the Victims' Assistance Legal Organization (VALOR) and a consortium of universities. This first academy was established in response to the need for a comprehensive, basic-level victim assistance curriculum to enhance the professional efforts of victim service providers and allied professionals.
For additional information about the NVAA, please click on the link below.
https://www.ovcttac.gov/nvaa/index.cfm 1998, the OVC established the State Victim Assistance Academy (SVAA) model to fulfill its goal of encouraging victim assistance courses of study throughout the country. OVC believes that SVAAs are an effective way to increase the knowledge of victim service personnel and consequently enhance the services offered to victims of crime in each state. To date, New Jersey and 34 other states, District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico are working on the establishment and institutionalization of State Victim Assistance Academies.
For additional information on the SVAA, please click on the link below.
http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/assist/svaa.htm
In
2008, the New Jersey Victims Assistance Academy started its planning process under the direction of Rutgers School of Social Work - Institute for Families.