Welcome

The New York State Victim Assistance Academy (NYSVAA) offers an opportunity to learn, study and network with providers from a variety of victim service professions and programs. The intense, week-long basic Academy provides a foundation in the principles and policies of victims’ rights work and a comprehensive set of case management skills, knowledge and resources to enable you to better meet the short- and long-term needs of crime victims in New York State.

You will learn:

• Types of victimizations, including homicide, sexual assault, hate crimes, domestic violence, identity theft, child victimization, elder abuse, intoxicated driving, technology-assisted crime, and trafficking.
• Mental health needs of victims coping with trauma, grief, and/or substance abuse.
• Crime victim compensation, reimbursement, restitution and other remedies.
• Caring for the caregiver; vicarious trauma and stress management.
• Program management, such as interagency collaboration, media relations, and research and evaluation.
• The role of justice systems, looking at criminal, civil, and alternative systems in New York State, the United States Justice for All Act, and Tribal Sovereignty.
• The impact of race, class, sexual orientation, age, gender, ethnicity, immigration status, language, religion, rural, suburban and urban issues on effective service delivery.
• Case management tools and techniques.

Students receive an extensive NYSVAA Textbook (CD-ROM) with historical, theoretical and statutory information, and Resource Manual with bibliographies, websites, articles and additional resource information.

Applications for the June 7-12, 2009 Academy will be accepted beginning in April 2009. Early acceptance decisions will be made by April 15. 

The Academy will be held at Buffalo State College, the largest comprehensive college in the State University of New York system.  Its125-acre campus is accessible, walkable, and located in Buffalo's vibrant museum district, adjacent to the Albright-Knox Art Gallery and Delaware Park. The campus is surrounded by trendy cafes, restaurants, shops, and Victorian-styled housing.

Advanced Institutes are shorter, intense explorations into specific topics for service providers with more than 5 years in the field, or on a management track. Past Institute topics include Management and Supervision in Victim Services and Victim Services, Survivor Safety and Program Security: a Digital Age Training for Managers and Administrators.

Costs:
The registration fee of $350 includes the 35+ hour course, meals, lodging in residence halls for five nights, course materials, NYSVAA Textbook and Resource Manual, and access to campus facilities. You are responsible for your own travel costs and any incidentals you may wish to purchase. Some scholarships are available based on need. The fee is due upon notification of acceptance. You must notify us of your withdrawal 10 days in advance of the Academy if you want to request a refund, except in cases of emergency.

This site was last updated March 2009