| **U.S. Department of Justice**      Office of Justice Programs*Office for Victims of Crime* |  |
|---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|--|
|                                                                                        |

| **THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE****OFFICE FOR VICTIMS OF CRIME****RESPONDS TO THE VICTIMS OF TERRORIST ATTACKS AGAINST AMERICA****ON****SEPTEMBER 11, 2001**

*"Now is the time for us to come together as a Department,         and as a nation, to offer our support and prayers for victims and their         families, for the rescue workers and law enforcement, and for every one         of us who has been changed forever by this horrible tragedy."*

*—Attorney General John Ashcroft*

The threat of terrorism and criminal mass violence against Americans,         both in the United States and abroad, has increased in recent years. Such         acts leave victims with serious physical and emotional wounds and challenge         government officials and communities to respond immediately with appropriate         effort. Victim assistance and compensation providers face the daunting         task of coordinating effective and timely responses, providing information         and assistance to victims, and working closely with other agencies and         victim service organizations.

The Office for Victims of Crime, working in close concert with other         federal agencies, has established the following array of services and         assistance to help the affected communities and respond to the needs of         crime victims. 

**OVC's Victim Assistance Center 1-800-331-0075 (TTY 1-800-833-6885):** OVC established a national toll-free information line for victims         and families of victims staffed by trained mental health professionals         to provide crisis counseling. Victims can obtain information about available         benefits, recieve referrals to local resources, and provide pertinent         identifying information about individual victims and contact information         for future notification about benefits, services, and criminal justice         proceedings.

**Mental Health Counseling Services:** OVC will make funding available         to the Center for Mental Health Services to support crisis counseling         centers for victims and family members in the affected states.

**Informational Resources:** OVC has developed, identified, and made         available a wide range of publications and other information          for victims of terrorism on its home page and through OVC's national           clearinghouse, the Office for Victims of Crime Resource Center (OVCRC).           Call OVCRC at 1-800-851-3420 (TTY 1-877-712-9279) for assistance          in placing a publication order. 

**Victims of Terrorism Web Site:** OVC is creating a special informational         Web site for victims and families that will serve as an ongoing source         of information about rights, services, and criminal justice proceedings,         including investigative efforts.

**Emergency Travel Assistance:** OVC has made funding available to         the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) to assist victims with emergency         needs, particularly travel and lodging for families of victims who are         not eligible for this assistance from the airlines, and for transportation         of victim remains.

**Antiterrorism and Emergency Assistance Fund:** OVC will make funding         available to support five types of assistance in the wake of an act of         terrorism or mass violence:
- Crisis Response Grants  (available within 0-9 months). Funding           to help rebuild adaptive capacities, decrease stressors, and reduce           symptoms of trauma immediately following a terrorism or mass violence           incident.    
- Consequence Management Grants  (available within 9-18 months).           Funding to help victims adapt to the trauma event and restore the victims'           sense of equilibrium.    
-  Criminal Justice Support Grants  (available within 18-36 months).           Funding to help facilitate victim participation in an investigation           and prosecution related to a terrorist act or mass violence incident.    
-  Crime Victim Compensation Grants.  Funding to reimburse victims           for out-of-pocket expenses related to a terrorist act or mass violence           incident. Emergency Fund dollars may not be used to cover property damage           or property loss.    
-  Training and Technical Assistance.  To assist in identifying           resources, assessing needs, coordinating services to victims, and developing           strategies for responding to an act of terrorism or mass violence.           Jurisdictions are not limited to only one type of assistance. Funding             may be provided for each type of assistance available. 

For additional information about the services and resources available         from OVC, visit the OVC Victim Assistance         Center page, call the OVC Resource Center at 1-800-627-6872 (TTY 1-877-712-9279),         or call OVC's Terrorism and International Victims Unit at 202-307-5983.

Back to Fact Sheets |
|----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------|