Response Through Recovery: Activities at a Glance This guide provides an at-a-glance overview of the activities that take place from response through recovery and their associated victim assistance protocols, which were developed in the partnerships and planning phase. For information about free training and technical assistance related to the Mass Violence Toolkit, contact the OVC Training and Technical Assistance Center (TTAC) at or 1–866–682–8822. Victim Assistance Protocol Activities Response Phase Transitional Phase Recovery Phase Committee Meeting Convene the primary agencies involved in the victim assistance response plan within the first 12 hours of the incident. Schedule and conduct regular meetings of the primary agencies. If the event involves victims from multiple jurisdictions, states, or countries, invite key government officials and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) administrators from each jurisdiction. Continue to conduct regular meetings of the primary agencies and other key individuals, as necessary. Continue to conduct meetings, as necessary, with the primary agencies involved in the recovery process. Identify unmet needs and unique issues in the community that need to be addressed. Hold a debriefing with your planning committee to assess your victim assistance response plan and make any necessary modifications. Capture action items and lessons learned. Incident Command System (ICS) Coordinate with your ICS. Deploy a victim assistance liaison to the ICS. Continue to coordinate with your ICS, as necessary. Participate in a debriefing held by your ICS. Communications Deploy appropriate representative(s) to the Joint Information Center (JIC). Deploy primary spokesperson(s) based on the nature/scope of the event. Communicate accurate information through various media, multilingual formats, and alternative sources (e.g., smart phone emergency text alert programs, social media, apps). In coordination with law enforcement officials and the prosecutor’s office, provide ongoing case/investigation status briefings. Family Assistance Center / Community Resiliency Center Identify a temporary safe location for families of victims and missing persons to gather as they await information. A The FAC should now have a physical location (multiple locations may be needed, based on number of victims) The FAC transitions to a Community Resiliency Center (CRC) that provides ongoing services and assistance to
Donation Management (Goods and Services) Store and manage donated goods at a local facility/warehouse. Consider leveraging (or developing) partnerships with local city services to assist in the transport of donations. Inform the public where to send and bring donations (supplies, goods/perishable items) and how their donations will be used. Consider leveraging technology and the media to collect donations (e.g., social media, texting). Coordinate the disbursement process for goods and services with the victim advocates (e.g., liaison, navigator) who will be assigned to victims and their family members. Continue to coordinate with the organization designated to serve as a centralized collection, disbursement, and proper disposal entity for the donation of goods and services. Criminal Justice System: Victim Support Criminal justice-based victim services personnel assist investigators with victim and family interviews. Assist with victim impact statements. Assist with media management. Provide victims and family members with access to and updates on incident hearings, criminal justice proceedings, and their rights as victims. Provide ongoing notifications regarding criminal case investigations, prosecution, adjudication, and prisoner status (e.g., prisoner location post-conviction, parole-related issues). Provide victim support during trials (e.g., financial assistance, housing, transportation). Planning and Preparedness Grants and Available Funding Assistance Review the criteria for appropriate federal emergency funding. Identify funding that may be available through your local, county, or state/territory government. Review and apply for other funding available through local, state, and national nonprofit organizations and corporations (e.g., United Way, Red Cross). Conduct a needs assessment of the overall impact of the event on the community, victims, survivors, and family members. Apply for available emergency funding.