Victim Service Center of
Orange County, Inc.
“Providing comprehensive, compassionate, victimfocused services to meet the needs of victims of crime,
including sexual violence survivors, who reside in or were
victimized in Orange County, Florida.”
Presented by:
Nicole Quinn, Executive Director
Why We Are Here Today
• In response to Orange County Government staff report of the
Victim Service Center.
• County report was inaccurate, misleading and significantly
minimized the crucial services the VSC provides in the
community.
• The VSC was not afforded the opportunity to provide input to
the staff report despite several attempts to participate in the
process.
• Upon learning of the report going to the County
Commissioners for budget discussions, the VSC met with
each Commissioner to ensure that they received accurate
information.
VSC Services to Victims
The VSC Provides Services to ALL Victims of Crime
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Needs assessment and comprehensive case plan for all crime
victims
Crisis Counseling
Information and Social Service Referrals
Victim Compensation Assistance
Personal Advocacy Services
Education on the Criminal Justice System
Emergency Legal Advocacy
24-hour sexual assault hotline
Therapy (sexual assault victims)
Forensic examinations and Medical Intervention (sexual assault
cases)
Follow-up appointments for STD results (sexual assault cases)
A Certified Center
The Victim Service Center is certified
by the Florida Council Against Sexual
Violence (FCASV) as the only rape crisis
center for Orange County.
There are 95 standards that must be met
and sustained in order to maintain this
certification.
A Component of Public Safety
The Victim Service Center is a component of Public
Safety and facilitates Orange County’s Sexual Assault
Response Team (SART), providing best practices for
serving sexual violence victims in our community.
VSC’s Response to Orange County
Government’s Staff Report
• The VSC does not have “two components”; we are
one agency with multiple programs, including the
Sexual Assault Treatment Center.
• General revenue funds from Orange County
Government provide administrative and operating
costs for ALL of the VSC’s programs
• Medical intervention funds do not cover these costs.
•
The $375,826 in general revenue funding must be retained for the
VSC to continue to operate.
•
Approximately $124,000 of the $165,000 medical intervention funds
is reimbursed to the County by the Office of the Attorney General,
Sexual Battery Claims Program.
VSC’s Response to Orange County
Government’s Staff Report
• There is not a duplication of services provided by
victim assistance programs in Orange County,
including programs administered by the VSC.
• It is not realistic for the VSC to continue operating on
“state funding” as recommended in the report;
furthermore, there were never initial discussions
about VSC participating in the Citizens’ Review Panel
process.
• Victims that do not receive recovery services postvictimization experience an increase in substance
abuse, mental illness, homelessness and suicide.
VSC’s response to Orange County
Government’s Staff Report
Required data reporting to the County does not allow
the VSC to clearly define productivity and measurable
outcomes:
•
The VSC provided 11,444 services to 2,673 victims of crime
last fiscal year.
•
The actual cost per client is only $314 - far from the $1,745
that the County reports.
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According to recent trends, it is anticipated that the VSC will
experience up to an 84% increase in the number of clients
served within the next year.
WHO WILL SERVE THESE VICTIMS?
Funding Cuts will Result in Orange
County not Having a Certified
Rape Crisis Center
Impact on the community:
• Certification is non-transferable; Government agencies and
dual mission programs are ineligible for certification
• Loss of Federal/State funding coming to Orange
County totals approximately $237,892 this current fiscal
year.
• Only Advocates at certified rape crisis centers receive
confidentiality/privileged communication with victims per
F.S. 95.5035.
• Hospitals emergency rooms will be inundated with sexual
assault victims that are not a “medical priority” and
victims will wait to be seen for hours unable to urinate,
drink, eat or bathe.
Immediate Impact on the VSC
• The VSC will not be able to fill the vacant Development and
Community Outreach Coordinator position.
• VSC must preserve current number of direct service staff and
management to operate a 24-hour rape crisis program even if
some services were eliminated, as is being proposed.
• The operating costs for the VSC are 18% of the overall budget.
There is nowhere else to cut!
• The current recommended budget cut represents 26.5% of our
general operating budget.
Victim Service Center of
Orange County, Inc.
“Providing comprehensive, compassionate, victimfocused services to meet the needs of victims of crime,
including sexual violence survivors, who reside in or were
victimized in Orange County, Florida.”
Presented by:
Nicole Quinn, Executive Director