Colorado Department of Public Safety
Jeanne Smith, Director
Division of Criminal Justice
Nancy Feldman, Manager
Office for Victims Programs
Office For Victims Programs
Welcome to the Office for Victims Programs (OVP) webpage. We hope that you find the information on this site helpful and informative. The Office for Victims Programs is located within the Division of Criminal Justice and is part of the Colorado Department of Public Safety.
The Office for Victims Programs is committed to the physical and emotional recovery of crime victims and to the restoration of victims' confidence in the criminal justice system.
Crime Victim Services Advisory BoardThe Crime Victim Services Advisory Board (CVSB), which is housed at the Division of Criminal Justice, Office for Victims Programs, currently has 3 openings for board members. People who are interested in applying for one of the open positions on the Board should summit a cover letter indicating why you would like to be appointed to the CVSB, an application and a resume to Nancy Feldman. Please click on the tab under Additional Information for the Crime Victim Services Advisory Board for a link to the application. |
U.S. Department of Justice, Office for Civil Rights Training Powerpoint
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Colorado SANE/SAFE Statewide ProjectMemorial Hospital University of Colorado Health in Colorado Springs has been awarded the Colorado SANE/SAFE Statewide Project for 2013. Memorial Hospital will be providing: 1) statewide education on the medical components of providing services to sexual assault victims, including forensic exams; 2) clinical training for medical personnel; and 3) technical assistance for SANE/SAFE programs and for communities interested in starting a SANE/SAFE program. Training is also available for those communities that do not have a SANE/SAFE program but are interested in obtaining additional training for their medical personnel. Click here for more information! |
The OVP has a variety of responsibilities, all relating to improving the criminal justice system's response to crime victims. Please click on the links on the left side of the page, or below, to learn more about the various programs at OVP.
OVP Grant Programs The Office for Victim Programs (OVP) manages several state and federal grant programs that are designed to provide support for services to victims of crime.
Victim Rights Act (VRA) Compliance Program Do you have questions about your rights as a victim? Victims of VRA crimes can contact the VRA Compliance Program at OVP and make an informal request for assistance and/or file a formal complaint concerning an alleged violation of their rights. Agencies with VRA responsibilities can also view this site for information on implementing the VRA as well as more information about the compliance program.
Victim Compensation If you have been a victim of a violent crime, you may be eligible for financial compensation for out-of-pocket expenses that are directly related to the crime. Compensation may include medical expenses, mental health expenses, lost wages, loss of support to dependants, and funeral expenses. Colorado is one of two states that has a decentralized victim compensation program. As a result, each judicial district has its own independent victim compensation program. All claims are administered through the local jurisdiction in which the crime occurred. You can access a list of all of the programs and the contact person for each local program through this site.
Local Victim Assistance and Law Enforcement (Local VALE) Each judicial district has its own local VALE program which provides funds for victim services programs and law enforcement agencies. You can access a list of all of the local VALE programs and the contact person for each program through this site.
The Colorado Sexual Assault Response Project helps communities develop Sexual Assault Response Teams (SART) and forensic exam programs through training on conducting forensic medical exams.
Forensic Exams for Sexual Assault Victims are available for all victims of sexual assault. OVP provides funds that pay the cost of obtaining a forensic exam when law enforcement is not initially involved in the investigation.
Compensation from Benefits of Crime The State of Colorado has statutes which prevent any person who is convicted of a crime from profiting from their crime. OVP and the Crime Victims Services Advisory Board oversee this process.
If you would like additional information about the Office for Victims Programs please call 303-239-5719 or 1-888-282-1080 (toll free within Colorado) or email lee.hettema@cdps.state.co.us.