These are the situations we can not respond to – we can arrange a meeting at a more appropriate time, or at a safe location.  This is to ensure crisis teams safety.

1)   Assaults including domestic, where the violent party is not in the custody of police, or at least their whereabouts known.

2)   Any victim who is highly intoxicated with alcohol or any other controlled substance.

3)   Victims who are behaving in a manner that requires attention under the Mental Health Act.

4)   Child victims of abuse who would normally be within the mandate of the Children's Aid Society.

CLIENT GROUP

Victims of crime or tragic circumstance and their families.  Predominate client groups include victims of:

a)     Death Notification

b)     Domestic Violence

c)     Sexual Assault

d)     Robbery, Break and Enter, Vandalism

e)     Families of victims of serious injuries

 VCARS teams also assist fire departments and police services with assistance to persons displaced by fires or other emergencies.

SERVICE PROVISIONS

Immediate Crisis Intervention through attendance at the scene of the occurrence to provide emotional support and practical help.

 

1. Post-Crisis Referral for continuing needs (e.g. long-term counselling) 
2. Follow-up calls to ensure appropriate and timely access to community resources
3. Critical Incident Stress Management debriefing within 24 to 48 hours following a traumatic event. 

4.  AVAILABILITY OF CRISIS SERVICES

   24 hours a day, seven days a week (all holidays included).  All crises requesting a team attend must have police involvement to ensure safety.  Telephone assistance available by calling office during office hours (Monday – Friday, 9-5)

    ACCESS

    Ø      Through emergency service personnel at the time of the occurrence; through police officers later during their re-contact

    Ø      Community requests for referral information are welcome at (705) 945-6905 -during normal office hours (8:30 a.m. to 4:30 pm.)

   PROGRAM OBJECTIVES

   The objectives of the service are to lessen the trauma of being victimized for the victims and also to support and assist the emergency service personnel.

   Police services have traditionally been the first line of support for victims. They will continue to bring their sensitivity and skill to those who have been victimized by criminal activity, while also providing investigative and crime prevention services.

   In 1987, the Ontario Ministry of the Solicitor General, as part of a multi-ministry initiative through the Ontario Women's Directorate, began three pilot projects in Ontario to test a new method for assisting police officers to meet their concerns about victims of crime. Utilizing trained and accredited volunteers, the Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Service (VCARS) in Algoma District, Brant County and Frontenac County offered twenty-four hour per day, mobile crisis response teams to assist victims at the request of police officers.

   In 1989, an independent evaluation of the VCARS projects concluded that victims, police officers, community agencies and volunteers themselves were agreed that the provision of immediate assistance and timely appropriate referral did help to reduce trauma and enhance recovery from the effects of victimization.

   In 1982 Canadian Urban Crime Survey, conducted in seven major urban centers by the Ministry of the Solicitor General Canada with the assistance of Statistics Canada, provided much insight into the needs of victims of crime as defined by those persons who had themselves been victimized. Services valued most highly by the survey respondents included immediate, at the scene support, practical help and information. Such assistance helped them to feel more confident that they could deal with both the consequences of the crime and their emotional reactions to the crime. Police also reported that victims who have had their own needs attended to effectively are often able to better recall details important to on-going police investigations.

   Other independent police or community-based victim assistance programs throughout the Province provide further substantive documentation that victim assistance programs are an effective and valued means to helping victims of crime and tragic circumstance.

   Providing assistance to victims of crime is a task which belongs to the whole community! As police officers, volunteers, counselors, support groups, and emergency shelter personnel work together, the effective support needed by victims of crime becomes a reality.

   As of 2006, there are 45 VCARS type services across the Province of Ontario .