Searching for Victims Of Abuse Support Programs

Offers a variety of support services and programs

Children's Services

• Offers various activities for children such as community kitchen cooking class
• Provides individual and group counselling sessions

Child Witness Program

• Offers a therapeutic program for children who have witnessed family violence
• Hosts program in neutral settings such as schools
• Educates mothers about the harmful effects of abuse on children
• Teaches mothers skills to help their children during the healing process
• Program length varies, up to 12 weeks

Transitional Support Services

• Helps individuals understand options to assist in making life choices
• Offers assistance in accessing housing, legal intervention, education, employment, financial support, childcare, referrals, and advocacy
• Offers individual counselling and support groups

Update on services during COVID-19 outbreak
Interim direction for Youth Justice Open and Secure Facilities
Ontario continues to take decisive action to protect the health and safety of all people and families during the COVID-19 outbreak. To help stop the spread of COVID-19, the following measures have been put into place in provincially-operated youth justice centres and in probation offices:

• Enhanced screening processes have been implemented in all Directly Operated Youth Justice Facilities.
• All personal visits and volunteer activities are cancelled. Approved personal visitors may maintain contact with youth by phone. Enhanced technology, such as video calling, where operationally available and operationally feasible, can be used for virtual visits with family.
• Professional visits including legal counsel will continue although consideration should be given to alternative options such as the use of teleconferences.
• All non-essential reintegration leaves are restricted until further notice.
• Walk-in service is cancelled at all probation offices until further notice. Services will continue to be provided through the use of technology including telephone and email contact. Staff continue to have clients report by telephone and maintain case management supervision.
• The Ministry has recommended similar measures be implemented by all service partners providing programming in communities throughout the province.

Acts as an alternative justice program in place of the regular court system for youth in trouble with the law

• Focus is on repairing the harm done by the crime and requiring the youth to be accountable and accept responsibility/consequences
• Coordinates a meeting (Youth Justice Conference) between the victim and their supporters, the offender and their parents/supporters and program facilitators
• Allows each party to tell their story of how the crime involved and affected them
• Assists all members to form a resolution contract that outlines consequences for the offender such as curfew, compensation, school work and personal and public service, instead of being lawfully charged

NOTE: Offenders who plead innocent must remain in the regular court system

Youth Justice Conference Facilitator

• Recruits and trains (training provided by Ministry of the Attorney General) volunteers to serve as facilitators of the conferencing process between youth offender, victim and their collective family members and support persons
• Time commitment varies by number of volunteers and number of cases referred to Youth Justice Committee

COVID19 Update: Court case backlog -- clients may experience difficulties contacting local offices and should leave a message with return phone number; VWAP staff will return voicemail as soon as possible

• Provides information and assistance to support participation in the criminal court process
• Services begin once police have laid charges and continue until the court case is over

Offers:

• Case-specific information (court dates, bail conditions)
• Court preparation
• Needs assessment
• Emotional support
• Crisis intervention
• Referrals to community agencies

Vulnerable Victims and Family Fund

Provides financial and court-based supports to enable victims of crime and families of homicide victims to attend court, including:

• Travel arrangements and expenses
• Language interpretation
• Real-time captioning or other equipment for victims with disabilities

• Provides family members of Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women and Girls (MMIWG) access to confidential, culturally responsive, trauma-informed and victim-centered assistance
• Supports families by facilitating connections with culturally appropriate referrals and supports
• Facilitates the gathering of case-specific information about police investigations, coroner's reports/reviews, court proceedings or other government processes and provides information to family
• Family Information Liaison Unit (FILU) staff members are of Indigenous ancestry, knowledgeable, culturally competent and responsive to the needs of the family members they serve

Note: If you don't live near an FILU location, call the Team Lead to arrange for FILU staff to travel to your location

Victim Quick Response Program+ (VQRP+)

Provides assistance with emergency expenses related to the incident, including:

• home safety
• accommodation
• meals
• transportation
• basic necessities
• dependent care costs
• counselling
• traditional Indigenous health services
• cellular phones
• vision care
• dental care
• aids for victims with disabilities
• interpretation services
• crime scene cleanup
• government/medical documents
• funeral expenses

Additional assistance for victims of human trafficking includes:

• storage locker
• tattoo removal
• treatment at a recovery facility

Note: No direct reimbursement to victims for above supports

Financial support also available for:

• victims who sustained serious physical injuries during a crime
• parents of child homicide victims
• spouses of homicide victims

• Provides duty counsel legal assistance to individuals appearing in court without a lawyer
• Informs individuals about legal rights, obligations and the court process
• Provides assistance in the courtroom for bail hearings and sentencing
• Assists with diversions, guilty pleas and adjournments
• Helps determine if further duty counsel services are required or if the matter requires Legal Aid Ontario's assistance in retaining a lawyer

May provide assistance in specialized courts including:

• Aboriginal persons (Gladue) court
• Domestic violence
• Drug treatment
• Mental health

Note: Criminal Duty Counsel cannot assist with trials

Provides crisis intervention services to community in crisis situations and to individuals affected by family violence and suicide

• Offers immediate on site or telephone assistance
• Dispatches call to police when deemed necessary
• Ensures victims receive support and assistance to secure their safety
• Arranges meeting family members at centre or agreed upon location to discuss possible crisis resolutions

Also coordinates:

• Crisis plan to follow in response to suicide intervention, domestic violence intervention and any other form of crisis situations that may arise in community
• Information sessions and workshops on techniques for healing strategies

Support Services

Supports can include but are not limited to:

• Debriefing and stabilization following crisis situation
• Advocacy on behalf of individuals and families dealing with various agencies
• Meal preparation, transportation, homemaking and other areas requiring support for families in crisis situations such as the suicide of a youth
• Information about/referrals to appropriate resources and services

Provides crisis intervention services to community in crisis situations and to individuals affected by family violence and suicide

• Offers immediate on site or telephone assistance
• Dispatches call to police when deemed necessary
• Ensures victims receive support and assistance to secure their safety
• Arranges meeting family members at centre or agreed upon location to discuss possible crisis resolutions

Also coordinates:

• Crisis plan to follow in response to suicide intervention, domestic violence intervention and any other form of crisis situations that may arise in community
• Information sessions and workshops on techniques for healing strategies

Support Services

Supports can include but are not limited to:

• Debriefing and stabilization following crisis situation
• Advocacy on behalf of individuals and families dealing with various agencies
• Meal preparation, transportation, homemaking and other areas requiring support for families in crisis situations such as the suicide of a youth
• Information about/referrals to appropriate resources and services