The NCVAN Victim Service Practitioner Certification Academy provides practitioners who work with victims of crime with an opportunity to receive 40+ hours of substantial training to bolster their knowledge and experience while also gaining prestigious state and nationally recognized certification to reflect their growing expertise.

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ABOUT: 

 

NCVAN’s Academy is the official academy recognized in North Carolina, approved by the National Advocate Credentialing Program (NACP). The curriculum is also approved through the National Organization for Victim Assistance (NOVA). The program continues to evolve in keeping with emerging best practices and research through ongoing guidance by a statewide committee of victim advocacy leaders and thorough, extensive participant feedback. After completing the pre-requisite NCVAN academy, graduates may seek provisional licensing and certification on the national level through NOVA/NACP.

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CREDITS:  

Through NCVAN’s partnership with the North Carolina Justice Academy, law enforcement officers who complete the training and certification may receive continuing education credits. The training also counts towards fulfillment with requirements set forth by the Council for Women (for DV/SA programs and Child Advocacy Centers). (Please do check for updates with the applicable entities.)  **Participants must complete each module to become certified as a Victim Service Practitioner.

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ANTICIPATED TOPICS:​

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• Advocating for Homicide Co-Victims

• Child Abuse

• Childhood Trauma

• Domestic Violence

• Victims and Technology

• District Attorney’s Role in Serving Victims

• Diversity & Inclusion

• Stalking, Sexual Assault and Statewide Sexual Assault Kit Updates 

• Restorative Justice

• State & Federal Crime Victim's Rights

 

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PAST PRESENTERS & RECENT FACULTY:

 

Attendees engage in real-time conversations with facilitators and faculty who are some of the best in the field in North Carolina. Recent faculty have included:

 

Dr. Rumay Alexander

UNC-Chapel Hill

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Scott Bass

Director of Homicide Support Services - NCVAN Staff

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Marie Brodie

Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune

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Pam Dickens

Disability and Victim Advocate

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Amy Durall

Project Manager Intl. Association of Chief of Police

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Saira Estrada

Director of Outreach - NCVAN Staff

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Sabrina Garcia, M.A.

Retired Law Enforcement Specialist

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Juliette Grimmett

Sexual Assault Victim Policy Strategist NC Dept of Justice

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Kit Gruelle

Advocate & National Trainer on Domestic Violence

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John Guard

Pitt County Sheriff’s Office

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Kristian Hall

Sexual Assault Response Coordinator - NC National Guard

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Kristen Howe

Director of Program Operations - NCVAN Staff

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PARTICIPANTS:

 

NCVAN’s Academy participants represent a diverse group of allied professionals. Our students are law enforcement officers – military personnel – therapists – court officials – clergy – victim advocates – to name a few. In this way, the academy is a blended learning experience. Networking brings valuable connections that benefit participants well beyond the completion of the certification.

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PREREQUISITES FOR ACCEPTANCE:

 

To become eligible for certification upon completion of the Academy, students are expected to have had -at least- 6 months of experience from a state-recognized program. Applicants who do not yet meet these requirements may be considered on a case-by-case basis for the training itself until the prerequisite has been met. For this reason, applicants are sometimes encouraged to apply to a future upcoming Academy to assure this requirement is met. 

 

Not all community-based non-profit victim service agencies are state-recognized.  To determine if a program is state-recognized in North Carolina,  advocates from community-based, non-profit victim advocacy programs can click to consult the following program lists by county or region: domestic violence programs, sexual assault programs, child advocacy centers.

 

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COST:

 

The certification fee which accompanies this 40+ hour training is $200.

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