Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
♪♪
It is really my pleasure and my privilege to lead the California
Victim Compensation Program.
This program—
Dr. Clavo talked about being there.
We are there.
We are there to help.
California, I'm very proud to say,
was the very first state in the entire United States
to establish a victim compensation program.
And that resolve back in 1965 has only gotten
stronger and deeper.
We at the California
Crime Victims Compensation Program
are absolutely committed to being there and providing help.
And that help takes many forms.
It takes the form of paying for medical expenses,
for dental expenses,
for mental health counseling to help healing happen soon,
to help victims regain their lives.
All of you here today have gone through that.
You know what it's like.
And I hope many of you have taken the opportunity
to access the services we provide.
We have provided over $2.3 billion of assistance
to victims of crime since our inception over 50 years ago.
And I invite you to visit the table, where we have staff
available to talk with you and to share information,
because what is so important is to make sure that
everyone in California knows about this commitment
to victims, to this program that can be there and can help.
I'd also like to acknowledge my colleagues in other
state departments, who partner with us in providing
help to victims.
They come from the Office of Emergency Services,
and from the California Department of Corrections
and Rehabilitation.
Mina talked about collaboration.
We know from the research we've done
that no group can do it all.
We depend upon each other to carry the message that
California cares.
And California cares so much that is has committed to
a program for over 50 years
to provide that kind of assistance
that is otherwise not available.
And I also want to do a shoutout to both the Governor and
to our legislators for helping us make sure that
our program meets the needs of victims.
Last year, we enacted what we call
the Statute Modernization.
Fancy words that mean we want to make sure
that we are providing what you need.
And you tell us what you need, and we march in these halls
and we talk to our legislators,
and believe me, ladies and gentlemen,
they get it.
We have had many changes to our program,
many enhancements to the services that we can provide.
And we didn't do that alone; we did that in collaboration
with our state agency partners and with other
community organizations, and I just want to thank
Crime Victims United for being such a strong partner with us.
And I want to thank them for once again organizing this event
so that at the beginning of National Crime Victims'
Rights Week, a national acknowledgement
of victims' rights
and the need for services at the federal level,
so that across the nation, next week, in every community,
there will be gatherings like this
that reflect the unique nature of the community they are in,
but in every community, across the nation,
they will be joining together to honor victims,
and to make sure that their voices are always heard.
So thank you very much for the opportunity to be here today.
I wish you well.