Advantage of Victim Compensation Fund Application
Victim Compensation Fund Application
A victim of crime can incur many costs related to their recovery including medical and mental health care, lost wages, repairing or replacing damaged or destroyed property. Crime victims’ compensation can help with these expenses and others. But navigating the bureaucracy is challenging. Victims should apply as soon as possible and seek the assistance of a trained victim advocate to assist with filling out the application.
One advantage of crime victims’ compensation is that it generally pays for expenses not covered by other sources such as private insurance, worker’s compensation or Medi-Cal. This is because victims’ compensation is considered the “payor of last resort.” But there are also disadvantages to the program including the fact that not all survivors qualify for help and that eligibility depends on how long after a crime has occurred.
Compensation Board will log in the claim and issue a claim number. In most cases, a decision will be made within three weeks from the date of receipt of all supporting documentation. The decision will include an estimate of the amount to be paid and a description of how it is being paid, such as directly to service providers or to the victim.
In the case of gun violence, families have to wait as long as 107 days for a decision on their victim compensation fund application. This means that families have to take on the added burden of burying their loved ones or moving for safety while waiting to see if they will receive any money.
Advantage of Victim Compensation Fund Application
To receive benefits, a crime victim must file an application with the state program and provide documents including police reports, receipts of costs such as counseling or medicine, and copies of bills. It is highly recommended that applicants work with an advocate from a county victim assistance program >> or non-profit victim assistance agency to complete the application process.
The National Association of Crime Victim Compensation Boards (NACVBC) provides the names and contact information of local programs. A victim’s attorney can also help with the process. Survivors can also find assistance through community organizations such as VIP Mujeres. But Common Justice warns that some of these programs are plagued with bureaucratic red tape and that racial bias can play a role.
Most states obtain funding for their victim compensation programs almost exclusively from fees and fines that are assessed on convicted perpetrators. In New York, this money goes into the Office of Victim Services (OVS), formerly known as the NY Crime Victims Board. But those funds are not sufficient to cover all of the state’s expenses. Therefore, the OVS must fund 228 victim service programs housed within nonprofits and municipal agencies to make service approval determinations for victims seeking financial assistance.