Victims Services’ to celebrate 20th year with open house
Victims Services of Behavioral Connections is hosting a free open house on Thursday in honor of 20 years
of providing services to the Wood County community. The event will be held at the Woodland Mall Banquet
Center in Bowling Green. Ample parking is available in the lot near the cinemas.
The open house will run from 2 – 6 p.m. and will offer displays, light refreshments and a chance to thank
volunteers for their many years of service.
Victims Services provides free 24/7 crisis intervention and advocacy to sexual assault and domestic
violence victims and their family members. It first received funding from the Victims of Crime Act
(VOCA) grant on Oct. 1, 1989. The program employs three staff members, assisted by dedicated volunteers,
many of whom volunteer for years.
Contact Julie Broadwell, Victims Services Program manager, at (419) 352-9504 ext. 3505 or [email protected] for more information.
Ohio to cut attorney repayments in abuse cases
COLUMBUS (AP) — Ohio is preparing to slash its reimbursements to attorneys who represent victims of
suspected abuse.
Attorney General Richard Cordray says it’s a necessary step, because the state’s Crime Victims
Compensation Fund is running low.
Advocates and lawyers say they fear the reduced payments will make it tougher for some victims to obtain
orders of protection.
Ohio has been reimbursing attorneys who work on abuse cases at a rate of $150 per hour for court and
travel time. Starting Oct. 1, the repayment rates will be cut to $60 an hour for court work and $30 an
hour for travel.
The state also will limit each lawyer to $30,000 in reimbursements per year.
The crime victims fund has dwindled to less than $11 million, from $38.6 million in 2001.
