$2.5 Million Grant Awarded to Provide Additional Trauma Recovery Services in Northern California

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: November 2, 2023
Contact: Public Affairs
publicaffairs@victims.ca.gov

SACRAMENTO — Napa and Sonoma Counties will receive additional trauma recovery services because of a $2.5 million regional trauma recovery center (TRC) pilot program grant approved by the California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB). The funding will allow for more people to have access to specialized mental health services through the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner – Sexual Assault Response Team (SANE-SART).

CalVCB Executive Officer Lynda Gledhill attended the grand opening event for the North Bay Trauma Recovery Center on November 1, 2023. At this event—attended by elected officials from the region and victim services providers—Gledhill shared information about the important services SANE-SART will provide.

“The goal of the regional TRC pilot program is to help and assist crime victims in rural or underserved communities,” said Gledhill. “This funding will expand services to immigrants, migrant workers and their families, and members of the LGBTQ community.”

SANE-SART will partner with the Monarch Justice Center in Napa and ALDEA Children and Family Services in Sonoma. The facilities assist victims of domestic violence, child maltreatment, human trafficking, elder abuse, and sexual assault. The grant funding will also increase the number of mental health clinicians available to treat children and adults, both in person and virtually.

“Being in the same physical space as other organizations involved in victim services fosters collaboration and coordination among different service providers,” said Executive Director Kari Cordero. “This expansion can lead to more efficient and effective assistance for victims as they can access multiple services in one location.”

Before being awarded this grant, neither Napa nor Sonoma Counties were serviced by a TRC. Due to the large geographic area, the majority of which is rural and remote, victims had limited access to services.

This pilot project will allow for more extensive outreach campaigns to help raise awareness about available services, encourage more victims to seek help, and educate the public about the impact of crime on victims and their families.

The grants are funded by the 2022-23 state budget. The Northern California grant will run for 22 months beginning September 1, 2023, and ending June 30, 2025. In January, CalVCB awarded $2.5 million to Amanecer Community Counseling Service to provide TRC services to Central California’s Kern and San Joaquin Counties.

Since 2014, CalVCB has awarded grants to TRCs throughout California to provide trauma-informed mental health treatment and case management to underserved crime victims who may not be eligible for victim compensation or may be fearful of reporting a crime to law enforcement. CalVCB currently funds 22 TRCs. For more information, visit CalVCB’s TRC webpage.

SANE-SART Executive Director Kari Cordero and CalVCB Executive Officer Lynda Gledhill attend the North Bay Trauma Recovery Center grand opening on Wednesday, Nov.1, 2023.

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The California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB) provides reimbursement for crime-related expenses to victims who suffer physical injury or the threat of physical injury as a result of violent crime. CalVCB helps crime victims, and their families cover unforeseen expenses such as medical bills, mental health treatment, funeral and burial expenses, income loss and more. CalVCB also administers the Forced or Involuntary Sterilization Compensation Program, which financially compensates survivors of state-sponsored sterilization. To learn more about CalVCB, visit victims.ca.gov.