In this issue:

• Letter from the Executive Director
• News from the Field and Funding Opportunities
• Upcoming Trainings
• Job Postings

As the end of year draws near we would like to take this opportunity to thank all of you for an amazing 2023. The success of MAC is based on the relationships we have built over the years, and we really wouldn’t be where we are without all of you. Over this past year we have provided more trainings, worked with new experts in the field, and developed a strategic plan that centers equity and will guide our work for the coming years.  We are grateful for the opportunity to work with, and for you. Our passion for supporting our member programs doing critical work with those who have been impacted by crime, remains strong.

This year has been filled with a multitude of both challenges and victories. Every year is different but this one has been filled with more change than normal. MAC, and most of our member programs, had to make hard decisions in the face of funding realities.  MAC is now comprised of three full-time staff, not four. I am so very proud of how MAC staff have responded to the challenge, but, we know that only have three full-time staff is not a long-term solution. It has been reassuring to see how our members and colleagues have risen to meet every roadblock, while always looking out for victims of crime.

No matter what the economic climate has been, we have persevered, together as a team, and came out stronger. Often, we find our greatest successes in the most surprising places. In 2024, MAC will continue to educate and advocate for a significant increase to Crime Victim Services funding! We look forward to engaging our member programs in the process.

As the end of year approaches we know there will be many challenges ahead. But we are also excited for all that 2024 has in store for us – enthusiasm and anticipation are building around new opportunities to assist and support new ideas, our member programs, and communities most impacted by crime.

Working together this past year has been a pleasure and we’re proud to have you all with us. Best wishes and happiness to you and your friends and families over the festive season. We look forward to a successful 2024 working together!

In Hope and Peace!

Bobbi

The 2023 legislative session was a busy one, to see all the victim related legislation that was passed this year, click here.

A new tool supported by the USDOJ Office for Victims of Crime can help organizations serving crime victims and survivors to measure service quality and outcomes, from the perspective of those receiving the services. iMPRoVE (Measures for Providers Responding to Victimization Experiences), is a free platform that allows users to collect, understand, and analyze the ways their program changes the lives of those they serve.

The National Child Traumatic Stress Network created a one-page resource: “After the Crisis: Helping Young Children Heal” in 11 languages.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office for the Administration of Children and Families has created a new guide, Economic Empowerment for People Who Have Experienced Human Trafficking: A Guide for Anti-Trafficking Service Providers. 

The 2023 National Census of Victim Service Providers (NCVSP) is a project of the U.S. Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS). The NCVSP is critical to understanding the current landscape of victim services across the country and providing national data on victim service provision and characteristics of victim service providers. To make sure your organization is counted in the census, click here and fill out the simple form.

Funding Opportunities:

Press Release: "This session, Governor Walz signed $300 million into law for cities, counties, and tribes to meet their unique public safety, fire, or emergency management needs. The local public safety aid can be used for, but is not limited to training programs, community engagement, personnel or equipment costs, officer wellness, mental health crisis response, and victim services. The aid will be distributed by the Minnesota Department of Revenue through a formula based off city, county, and tribe population size." This money is a one-time appropriation, each local government will be deciding how to spend their share, so be sure to contact your local officials to see how your program can access these funds.

Fundamentals in Victim Services

An online training for newer crime victim services professionals

The January 2024 Fundamentals in Victim Services Training is a virtual training for victim advocates to develop core knowledge and skills to provide victim-centered services. By the end of this training, advocates will be able to:

-Understand the role of ongoing and historical trauma in victimization and develop skills for providing trauma-responsive advocacy to all victims of crime.

-Expand their understanding of vicarious trauma and strategies to build resilience for a sustainable career in victim services.

-Understand and examine their own Occupational Identity (OI) and identify strategies for cultivating healthy boundaries; and

-Describe key victims’ rights and know how to find more information to ensure that criminal legal systems professionals are meeting statutory obligations regarding crime victims;

-Recognize and interrogate the roles of bias, privilege, and oppression in victimization and advocacy;

-Identify and honor the unique and complementary roles of community-based and systems-based advocates;

-Furthermore, training participants will have opportunities to connect with one another and with experienced professionals with a range of knowledge and skills.

Registration is free for MAC Member programs and $50 for non-members.

Promoting Equity Through Police – Mental Health Collaborations is a free virtual event on Thursday, December 14 from 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm RST. “Advancing racial equity and responsiveness as Law Enforcement and Behavioral Health (LE-BH) teams respond to encounters with people living with mental health needs and/or substance use disorders continues to be challenging for communities. This webinar will be led by experts from Effective Law Enforcement for All, Inc. (ELEFA), in conjunction with the CSG Justice Center. Following the event, ELEFA will offer one-on-one technical assistance on topics of reimagining public safety, diversity, equity, and inclusion applicable to LE-BH collaboratives.” For more information and to register, visit here.

Financial Implications for Victims/Witnesses in the Criminal Justice System a free webinar hosted on Wednesday, December 6 · 10:30am - 12pm CST. Presented by Dan Levey, the Executive Director of the Arizona Victim Rights Law Group, and Maricopa County Assistant Bureau Chief, Mischa Hepner. This training will provide prosecutors and other criminal justice stakeholders with a victim-centered perspective on the challenges and hurdles that economically-disadvantaged victims and witnesses, as well as other system actors, navigate as they participate or consider participating in the criminal process. This training will also offer guidance to prosecutors on how they can minimize the effects of the financial implications on access to the court system. Co-hosted by the Carver County Attorney's Office. Click here to register.

The Mass Incarceration of People with Disabilities and Deaf People a free webinar from Activating Change on Tuesday, December 5, 2023 1:00 - 2:30 PM CT. In this webinar, presenters - Jordan Landry and Kaitlin Kall - will provide an overview of the mass incarceration of people with disabilities; discuss how ableism, audism, and racism intersect resulting in vast disparities; and unpack some of the specific harms and injustices faced by people with disabilities and Deaf people when they encounter the criminal legal system. Click here to register by December 1st.

“Resiliency Reimagined” virtual Forum sponsored by the Center for Strength on Tuesday, December 5, at 7:30 pm CT. The purpose of this special event is to “encourage and equip our community to reflect and implement a trauma-informed approach to living a life of resilience and recovery.” Join live at this link.

OJJDP is hosting a webinar on Wednesday, December 6, at 2:00 pm CT, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Frameworks for Mentoring Practitioners. “Are you looking to redefine Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) objectives for your organization and dive into the transformative realm of inclusive community strategic frameworks? Join us for this month's webinar with esteemed thought leaders and technical assistance providers – August Haven, Dwayne Bennett, and Naomi Rodriguez. In this session, we won't just emphasize the significance of aligning policies and practices with the core values of DEI, but we'll also provide you with actionable insights on how to seamlessly integrate these principles into your work.” For more information and to register, visit here.

Watch anytime DomesticShelters.org archived webinar about “Solutions to common hotline challenges: Phone, chat, text, scheduling, reporting and burnout” The webinar will go over common challenges that DV hotlines face, and share what they've seen work at agencies across the country.

Improving Youth Interactions Through Fair and Impartial Justice is a two-day training hosted by the National Criminal Justice Training Center. Built on evidence-based principles, this training curriculum supports law enforcement in fostering strong community relationships, enhancing interactions with youth, and creating effective interventions to divert at-risk and minority youth from the justice system. Improving procedural justice efforts in the juvenile justice system offers an unmatched return-on-investment for law enforcement agencies. March 14th and 15th, $325. Click here to learn more.

On December 20 at 1:00 p.m. CT, the Office for Victims of Crime Training and Technical Assistance Center will present an online Expert Q&A discussion with Heather Ayala on "Providing Services to Victims of Impaired Driving and DUI Crashes.” Click here to register.

Jobs and Fellowships:

The Office of Justice Programs will be hiring a number of positions over 3 phases. Check their employment page for the current postings.

Stronghearts Native Helpline is a 24/7 confidential and anonymous culturally-appropriate domestic and sexual violence helpline for Native Americans. Stronghearts is looking to fill the positions of Quality Assurance Manager and Deputy Executive Officer. Click here to learn more.

Activating Change, a Deaf advocacy organization, is hiring for 3 roles currently. Check out their careers page for more details.

The Minnesota Office of Justice Programs seeks applicants for Claims Specialists for the Minnesota Sexual Assault Exam Payment Program.  DPS-OJP will hire 1-2 positions from this posting. To see the full posting and to apply, go to the Minnesota Careers Website, click on “Search Open Positions” and search for Job ID 71441.  This posting will close December 11, 2023.

The Minnesota Alliance on Crime connects systems, service providers, and victims to advance the response for victims of all crime. MAC is a membership coalition of more than 90 crime victim service providers in Minnesota, including prosecution-based victim/witness programs, community programs, law enforcement agencies, and individuals committed to supporting crime victims. We support our membership through training, technical assistance, resources, public policy and legislative initiatives, and networking opportunities.

To join our coalition of Minnesota crime victim service programs, click here.

Staff Contact:

Bobbi Holtberg, Executive Director

bobbi@mnallianceoncrime.org

Amee Krogfus, Director - Operations

amee@mnallianceoncrime.org

Becca Muskat, Director - Training

becca@mnallianceoncrime.org

www.mnallianceoncrime.org

MISSION

The Minnesota Alliance on Crime advances a collective movement to eliminate the systemic barriers experienced by people impacted by crime.

VISION

The Minnesota Alliance on Crime envisions a world where people impacted by crime, particularly those who are historically marginalized, can heal, achieve justice, and restore balance to their lives.

VALUES

Equity • Trauma-Responsive • Centering Survivors •  Solidarity