CalVCB Launches Awareness Campaign for Crime Victim Services

Awareness and education campaign will help connect victims of crime with available resources

SACRAMENTO, Calif., April 24, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB) today announced a new campaign ? CalVCB Can Help You Rebuild ? to increase awareness about CalVCB's services to help victims of violent crimes. The announcement comes during National Crime Victims' Rights Week and highlights the many resources available to victims through CalVCB.

"Increasing awareness about CalVCB's programs empowers victims in California to recover and rebuild their physical, mental, and financial wellbeing during the traumatic time after a crime. Restoring individuals' lives also helps to restore our communities." said CalVCB Executive Officer Lynda Gledhill. "National Crime Victims' Rights Week is an opportunity to uplift the voices of victims of crime and share how we can help them."

How CalVCB Helps:

The CalVCB Can Help You Rebuild campaign highlights how CalVCB provides reimbursement for eligible crime-related expenses. Expenses eligible for reimbursement include but are not limited to:

• Medical, dental, or mental health services
• Lost income
• Funeral or burial expenses
• Relocation and home security expenses

Last year, CalVCB provided nearly 30,000 victims with more than $44 million in assistance. CalVCB provides assistance in multiple languages to diverse communities across California. Online resources are available in English and Spanish, and help is available via the phone in nine languages.

In most cases, victims have up to seven years to apply for benefits. After initial approval, benefits are lifelong. If you or someone you know was a victim of a violent crime, learn more and apply today.

"How Would You Help?":

CalVCB launched this campaign to coincide with National Crime Victims' Rights Week (NCVRW). This year's theme is "How Would You Help?" As part of developing this campaign we learned that friends and family members are trusted messengers. If you know someone who was the victim of a violent crime, please let them know that CalVCB can help them rebuild their lives by paying for certain expenses.

Campaign Materials:

• CalVCB Can Help You Rebuild Toolkit
• CalVCB's National Crime Victims' Rights Week Toolkit
• Posts on Instagram, X, and Facebook

Recommendations for Media Reporting on Violent Crime

CalVCB helps victims of violent crime rebuild their lives by reimbursing them for costs associated with the crimes. Where appropriate, CalVCB encourages media to:

• Include the recovery process in crime related reporting to provide hope and build community resilience ? particularly as it relates to large-scale incidents, such as mass violence events.
• Include references to rebuilding and recovery resources in crime reporting.
• End relevant stories with this awareness-building statement:

"If you or someone you know has been the victim of a violent crime, financial assistance may be available to help you rebuild your life. Visit victims.ca.gov to learn more."

For logos, images, and fact sheets please visit our our media toolkit here https://victims.ca.gov/media-center/calvcb-can-help-you-rebuild-media-toolkit/

Media Contact

Monique Langer, California Victim Compensation Board, 1 916-491-6400, [email protected], victims.ca.gov

Kim Coutts, Civilian Agency, 1 6199770988, [email protected]

SOURCE California Victim Compensation Board