This 2020 annual report - prepared by the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention (OJJDP) within the Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs - presents an overview of OJJDP’s program components mandated by the federal Victims of Child Abuse Act (VOCA).
OJJDP’s VOCA program portfolio consists of interconnected initiatives that support local, regional, and national efforts to address the needs of child victims of abuse. OJJDP administers funds that support children’s advocacy centers (CACs), as authorized by VOCA. These funds support services, training, and technical assistance (TTA) that ensure all children and their families have access to multidisciplinary teams (MDTs) of qualified professionals trained to provide effective services to victims of child abuse. In addition to managing CAC national membership, accreditation, and evaluation, OJJDP supports four regional CAC centers, one in each of the four U.S. Census regions. These regional centers are instrumental in establishing and training MDTs and staff of local program and state CAC systems. A national subgrant program funds the development and activities of local CACs, state CAC chapters, and MDTs. TTA for child abuse professionals ensures quality intervention and treatment for victims of child abuse. TTA is also provided for prosecutors, attorneys, and allied professionals involved in the criminal prosecution of child abuse cases in state or federal courts. Other OJJDP reporting requirements under VOCA cover 1) the monitoring and evaluation of VOCA program activities, 2) the method by which funding amounts are allocated to grantees and subgrantees, 3) steps to minimize duplication in grant awards, and 4) analysis of the extent to which rural and urban populations are served under the regional CAC program. 1 table