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On March 17th, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 1652 – the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021 (Sponsored by Rep. Jerry Nadler / Judiciary Committee). The Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund was originally created by Congress in 1984 to provide federal support to state and local programs that assist victims of crime. If voted to continue, VOCA would use non-taxpayer money from the Crime Victims Fund for programs that serve these brave survivors. This legislation is critical to ensure that Childhelp Children’s Advocacy Centers continue to receive funding, and can provide the highest level of care to child abuse victims.
Today, we are asking you to contact your Senators and urge them to take up this important bill as soon as possible.
Why is the Victims of Crime Act Fix Important to Childhelp's Mission?
The Childhelp’s Children’s Advocacy Centers (CACs) are funded, in part, by VOCA. The CACs assist victims of child abuse and are a highly effective, nationally recognized one-stop approach to child abuse response. The CACs assist victims of child abuse and are a highly effective, nationally recognized one-stop approach to child abuse response. This is particularly important so that victims of child abuse only have to tell their stories once. At the CAC, we provide a child-friendly facility where members of a multi-disciplinary team interview victims, conduct medical exams, provide specialized mental health treatment, and provide family members with referrals to other community resources while law enforcement agencies and county attorneys pursue the prosecution of offenders. We also have four-legged friends, like therapy dogs and miniature ponies, who make sure every child feels welcome and comfortable. Thank you for ensuring that the littlest crime victims are supported by the biggest hearts of the Childhelp family!
We encourage you to ASK your Senators to ACT NOW!
H.R. 1652 would fix the DOJ policy resulting in decreased deposits to the CVF. On March 17th, the House of Representatives recognized the importance of making this change by passing H.R. 1652 in an overwhelmingly bipartisan 384-38 vote. Now, we need the Senate to pass this important bill so we can get it signed into law, and provide certainty for victims of crime.
By sending this letter to your Senator, you are taking a stand and supporting children and families across the nation.