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June 2000Vol. 1, No. 4Training Institute Planned for Mental Health Professionals Serving Child Victims and Witnesses

Funding for a new training institute to improve the mental health response to children who are victims of or witnesses to violence is now available.

The Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) of the Department of Justice is soliciting applications from institutions of higher education to develop this project as part of its FY2000 discretionary grant application kit. Under a cooperative agreement, the selected grantee will develop a graduate-level training program to improve trauma-focused interventions for children who have been victims of abuse or who have witnessed violent crime. It will be geared towards mental health practitioners serving this client population, including psychologists, social workers, school counselors, family counselors, and psychiatrists.

Project tasks will include:

  • Conducting literature and curriculum reviews and developing course materials that address child development, victimization, and trauma-focused assessment and intervention;
  • Developing or expanding an internship or fellowship program for trainees specializing in services for child victims/witnesses;
  • Creating opportunities for supervised direct practice with child victims/witnesses;
  • Conducting ongoing seminars and specialized training;
  • Writing one or more OVC Bulletins describing project and field developments;
  • Making presentations on the project at one or more national or regional forums;
  • Accessing the equipment, materials, and training necessary to upgrade the program; and
  • Evaluating the effectiveness of the project.

Applications are due by July 14, 2000. To request an application kit or form, contact:
Office for Victims of Crime
810 Seventh Street, NW
Washington, DC 20531-0001
OVC Resource Center, 800-627-6872
OVC Reply Line , 202-616-1926 (TTY 202-514-7863)

An online version of the application kit is available at: http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/ovc/fund/dakit.htm.