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Criminal Justice Initiatives

The ADVANCE Academy is the first of its kind in the state of Ohio and offers courses to professionals who assist crime victims, including victim witness advocates, law enforcement and prosecutors. The Academy is designed to encourage coordination and communication among these professionals, and to raise awareness of the services and resources available. The Academy courses range from the very basic for beginners to the advanced for those more experienced in the field. A goal of the Academy is to provide quality training to crime victim professionals at minimal or no cost.

The Academy offers several half and full-day courses across the state throughout the year on topics such as collaboration between law enforcement and victim advocates, elder abuse, navigating through the court system, caring for the caregiver and many more. Many of these courses are approved for Continuing Education Units (CEU) through the Counselor, Social Worker & Marriage and Family Therapist board. For details on any upcoming training, please review our 2007- 2008 calendar of events below.

Another course offered through the Academy is Basic Advocacy Skills in Crime Victim Services or the B.A.S.I.C.S. program. B.A.S.I.C.S. is a week-long, intensive course offering 33 ½ hours of baseline education for new professionals in the field of victim services. This course is designed to focus on the expansion of knowledge and training for victim service providers. Participants develop skills in the area of child abuse, domestic violence, crisis intervention, legal advocacy, crisis intervention and death notification. This training also allows advocates to network with one another while participating in the most comprehensive training available to them in Ohio.

For more information about the ADVANCE Academy courses, or for registration information, contact us at 614-466-1698 or jquinn@ag.state.oh.us.