The response to the 2006 National Victim Assistance Academy (NVAA) has been very strong with over forty practitioners from fourteen states and the District of Columbia registered. The program is scheduled the week of June 25-30 at Washburn University. This foundation level professional education program addresses a broad spectrum of topics considered core to understanding and application of victim services.

One of the features of this JCVVS program is the Professional Certificate of Completion that is given to those who successfully pass the exams and the application project. As a Unversity-based program, this professional certificate issued by the JCVVS is recongnized nationwide.

The universities associated with the JCVVS have been a part of the NVAA for over a decade and were instrumental to its development and implementation when it was funded by the Office for Victims of Crime. The JCVVS has independently offered the NVAA the past two years, has offered the program on contract to several states, and has provided consultation to numerous states in the development of their own foundation education programs.

The FBI Office for Victim Services recently contracted with the JCVVS to serve as an Education Review Board (ERB). The ERB served to assist the FBI in its endeavor to enhance the professional status of victim service practitioners through a reclassification of the Victim Specialists positions with a new requirement of a college degree in social or behavioral sciences. The ERB assessed whether those individuals who did not possess a bachelor degree in a social or behavioral science possessed an equivalency that would justify their continued employment in the reclassified position. Individuals who did not meet the reclassification requirements were encouraged to submit portfolio data, written responses to application questions and to participate in an interview with the ERB. A final report with the findings and recommendations was submitted to the FBI. The JCVVS is currently drafting an article for future publication.

California State University, Fresno in collaboration with the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, Law Enforcement and Victim Services Division will host the first annual California Victim Assistance Academy (CVAA). The CVAA is an intensive academic training program that is made possible by a grant from the Office for Victims of Crime (OVC). Since 1998, OVC has funded 20 states, including California, to begin a State Victim Assistance Academy (SVAA). Each SVAA is based on the National Victim Assistance Academy (NVAA) model, but is modified to reflect the needs, practices and policies of the host state. CSU-Fresno, as part of the JCVVS, continues to be a proud sponsor of NVAA.

email: jcvvs@washburn.edu

phone: 785-670-1399

web: http://www.washburn.edu/ce/jcvvs/