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Welcome to the Office of Victim Services:A Webinar for new OVS Grantees
Objective
To provide new OVS Contract Agencies with a general overview of OVS and its grants and compensation programs.
OVS History• Created in 1966 as the Crime Victims
Compensation Board (CVB)
• One of the first independent state agencies for crime victim compensation
• As of 2010, the CVB became the Office of Victim Services (OVS)
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OVS Purpose• Provide financial compensation to
innocent victims of crime
• Advocate for victims’ rights
• Fund a network of victim assistance programs across NYS to provide services to crime victims
OVS Statistics• Annually, OVS renders approximately
10,000 original decisions, which includes awards and denials made by the office
• $23.3 million in compensation on 10,500 claims
• $123.3 million in grant awards to 381 victim services related contracts
INTRO TO COMPENSATION
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Intro to Compensation• Compensation Eligibility• Payment Maximums• Emergency Awards• Payer of Last Resort• Filing a Compensation Claim• Using the OVS Victim Services Portal
OVS Compensation ProgramWho: Innocent victims of crime, certain
relatives, dependents and legal guardians
What: Compensation of out-of-pocket expenses not covered by insurance or other resources
Compensation EligibilityIn order to be eligible, a victim must be at least one of the following:
• Under the age of 18
• 60 and Over
• Disabled
• Physically Injured
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Compensation EligibilityNOTE: • There are certain exceptions for victims who have
NOT sustained a physical injury, but who MUST file a Personal Injury claim.
• See Advocate Guidelines for Compensation or the OVS Compensation Video Series for more information. (https://ovs.ny.gov/vap-training-center)
Compensation EligibilityThree categories of claim types:
• Personal Injury
• Death
• Loss of Essential Personal Property (EPP)
Maximum Amount PaidUncapped:
• Medical/Mental Health
• Burial expenses of police officer/firefighter killed in the line of duty as a result of a crime
• Security Devices
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Maximum Amount PaidCapped: • Loss of Earnings/Support/Savings $30,000
• Burial Expenses $6,000
• Crime scene cleanup/securing crime scene
$2,500
• Relocation $2,500
• Essential personal property $500, with max of $100 cash
Emergency Awards• May be considered when:
An award would likely be made in the claimant’s case An undue hardship would result if immediate payment
were not made
• Only granted BEFORE services have been rendered or paid for
• Maximum award: $2,500 with the exception of funeral, which is $3,000
Types of Emergency Awards• Funeral Burial Requests • Medications: HIV, Antibiotics, Pain, etc.• Moving/Storage/Relocation• Loss of Earnings/Support• Security Device/Lock Replacement• Crime Scene Clean-Up• Replacement of Medical Equipment such as Eyeglasses,
Contacts and other emergency items• OVS does not grant Emergency Awards for loss of property
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Payer of Last ResortOVS is a payer of Last Resort
• Only covers expenses that insurance and other resources do not.
• “Other resources” include GoFundMe campaigns that are specific about the expenses that will be covered.
Filing a Compensation ClaimRequired Information on a Claim:
• Victim’s name, address, SSN and DOB
• Claimant’s name, address, SSN and DOB
• Crime Type and Report Number
• Police or Criminal Justice Agency reported to
• Date of Crime
• Date Crime was reported
• Claimant’s signature
Filing a Compensation ClaimRequired documentation to have available:
• Criminal Justice Agency Report
• Receipts for essential personal property
• Death certificate and funeral contract
• Victim’s birth certificate
• Proof of age (driver’s license, birth certificate)
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Filing a Compensation Claim• If a claim is closed or rejected because of
missing information, DO NOT file another application.
• Call Claims Processing Unit (CPU) and provide the missing information on the existing claim.
How to File a Claim• Claims can be filed electronically through
the OVS Victim Services Portal
• Paper applications can be submitted through postal mail and are available on the OVS website under the “General Forms” heading
Obtaining a log-in through the Victim Services Portal
• To obtain portal log-in information, the director of the program must email the name of the individual victim advocate to OVS.
• OVS staff then adds the advocate to the Victim Services Portal and log-in is emailed to the individual advocate.
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For more information:• Compensation trainings are held every 3rd
Tuesday in NYC and Albany
• Compensation specialist will be part of introductory site visit
• Consult OVS Compensation Training Video Series (YouTube)
INTRO TO GRANTS
Introduction to Grants• Overview
• Site Visits
• Performance Measurement Tool (PMT)
• Position Description Form (PDF)
• Functional Time Records
• Required Match
• Fiscal Cost Reports (FCRs)
• Budget Amendment Requests (BARs)
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OVS Grants Program
As a result of the 2019 VOCA RFA,
• 228 contracts were awarded to 205 agencies
• 40 new agencies
VOCA• OVS programs are funded through the
Federal Victim of Crime Act (VOCA) Fund, created in 1984 to support state and local programs.
• OVS funds and match funds MUST adhere to VOCA and OVS regulations.
VOCAFor more information, reference links to:• Allowable and Unallowable Costs• VOCA Side by Side • Final RuleAvailable online at:https://ovs.ny.gov/victim-assistance-program
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Site Visits• Introduction to OVS (New Programs)
• Formal on Site
• Follow-up
• Technical Assistance
Formal Site VisitsMonitoring looks at:
• Performance
• Contract Compliance
• Financial Records
Formal Site VisitsElements of Monitoring Include:
1. Criteria- how things should be
2. Condition- how things are
3. Cause- how did this occur
4. Effect- how does this impact the program
5. Recommendation- how can corrections bemade
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Formal Site Visit – Case File Review
• Case files are reviewed to verify delivery services
• Comprised of randomly selected files from alldirect service positions
• Case files can be redacted of identifying victiminformation
Summary of Service Log• Programs must maintain a Summary of
Service Log to track their ongoingaccomplishments
• Summary of Service Log should relateback to the services reported
Performance Measurement Tool (PMT)
• Federal system to collect demographicand service data
• Measures program progress towardsanticipated number of services
• Federal requirement that all OVC-fundedprograms complete the PMT quarterly
Attention: Please see the link below for important information on updates to the PMT process, effective January, 2020.
https://ovs.ny.gov/sites/default/files/broadcast-email/broadcast-email-pmt-updates.pdf
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Performance Measurement Tool (PMT)Due Dates: • January 20th (for October 1st – December 31st )
• April 20th (for January 1st – March 31st )
• July 20th (for April 1st – June 30th)
• October 20th (for July 1st – September 30th)
Failure to complete and submit your OVC PMT entries by the deadline puts the entire state out of compliance.
OVC PMT Website:• Access at: https://ojpsso.ojp.gov
• Program’s point of contact is at the program’sdiscretion
• Additional users can be added
• To report a technical issue with OVCPMT:
email OVC PMT Helpdesk at [email protected]
call 1–844–884–2503.
OVS PMT Excel Spreadsheet
• Mirrors the OVC PMT Website
• Must be sent to [email protected] (cc your CMS)
• Due date is the same as the PMT
• Contract programs must do BOTH
Attention: Please see the link below for important information on updates to the PMT process, effective January, 2020.
https://ovs.ny.gov/sites/default/files/broadcast-email/broadcast-email-pmt-updates.pdf
Attention: Please see the link below for important information on updates to the PMT process, effective January, 2020.
https://ovs.ny.gov/sites/default/files/broadcast-email/broadcast-email-pmt-updates.pdf
Attention: Please see the link below for important information on updates to the PMT process, effective January, 2020.
https://ovs.ny.gov/sites/default/files/broadcast-email/broadcast-email-pmt-updates.pdf
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Performance Measurement Tool (PMT)
For more information:• Consult the instructions tab on the OVS PMT
excel form• Contact your Contract Management
Specialist (CMS)• Attend the PMT training at the OVS 2019
Conference!
Position Description Form (PDF)
The Position Description Form Includes:• % VOCA-allowable service time versus non-
VOCA allowable service time• % of each position that is on the OVS grant
contract• Total number of FTEs supported with OVS
and match funds
Position Description Form (PDF)
• Add sample PDF here
Attention: Please see the link below for important information on updates to the PMT process, effective January, 2020.
https://ovs.ny.gov/sites/default/files/broadcast-email/broadcast-email-pmt-updates.pdf
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Position Description Form (PDF)Remember:• Total in each line must equal 100%• Must account for position’s entire day • Must mirror the information on the budget• Should include:
• # of months funded• # of hours per week
•% funded by OVS• % funded by Match
Functional Time Records (FTRs)
• Categories mirror PDF categories• Tracks actual hours and % time per
function• Time off is included on the FTR• Filled out by all OVS or match funded staff• Signed by employee and supervisor
Functional Time Records (FTRs)
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Functional Time Records (FTRs)
• Keep FTRs in addition to any other timesheets required by your agency
• All original categories must remain on the sheet, however additional categories may be added
Required Match• All contracts have a required match (25% of grant
funds) with the exception of Native American programs.
• Matching contributions do not have to be applied at the same exact time or in proportion to the obligation of VOCA grant funds.
• Match is held to the same standards as OVS funding -- all matching funds must be VOCA allowable.
Required Match• The full matching share must be obligated
within each annual contract period for which the VOCA grant funds have been made available.
• If full matching share is not provided in any given year, reimbursements will be reduced accordingly
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Required MatchPrograms that receive VOCA funds must maintain records and documentation that clearly show:
• The source, the amount and the period duringwhich the match was allocated
• The basis for determining the value of each category
• Volunteer services must be documented
Fiscal Cost Reports (FCRs)• Documents the contract spending by quarter• Requests reimbursement for allowable expenses
Due dates:• January 31, 2020 Quarter 1 (10/01/19 – 12/31/19)• April 30, 2020 Quarter 2 (01/01/20 – 03/31/20)• July 31, 2020 Quarter 3 (04/01/20 – 06/30/20) • November 30, 2020 Quarter 4 (07/01/20 – 09/30/20)
Fiscal Cost Reports (FCRs)• Fiscal Cost Report (FCR) and supporting
documentation are uploaded as a PDF into the “Payment Uploads” area of the Grants Gateway
• Supporting backup documents are uploaded by category
• Allow up to 30 days to receive payment from time of submission
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Fiscal Cost Reports (FCRs)
• Failure to include appropriate documentation
will result in a “Stop the Clock” letter being
issued and payment requested being delayed
• All payments are sent electronically to bank
account linked to your Vendor ID number
Budget Amendment Requests (BARs)
•Comprehensive BARs allow movement between all categories.
•BARs are submitted via the Grants Gateway.
•BARs go through a multi-level approval
•Grants Gateway User Guide for more information.
Additional Resources
For more information, see Welcome to OVS Resources packet
and visithttps://ovs.ny.gov/victim-assistance-program
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Thank you for participating!
Additional questions about today’s training may be directed to [email protected]