CalVCB Launches Awareness Campaign for Crime Victim Services

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 23, 2024
Contact: Public Affairs
publicaffairs@victims.ca.gov

SACRAMENTO – The California Victim Compensation Board (CalVCB) today announced a new campaign – CalVCB Can Help You Rebuild – to increase awareness about CalVCB’s services to help victims of violent crimes. The announcement comes during National Crime Victims’ Rights Week and highlights the many resources available to victims through CalVCB.

“Increasing awareness about CalVCB’s programs empowers victims in California to recover and rebuild their physical, mental, and financial wellbeing during the traumatic time after a crime. Restoring individuals’ lives also helps to restore our communities.” said CalVCB Executive Officer Lynda Gledhill. “National Crime Victims’ Rights Week is an opportunity to uplift the voices of victims of crime and share how we can help them.”

How CalVCB Helps:

The CalVCB Can Help You Rebuild campaign highlights how CalVCB provides reimbursement for eligible crime-related expenses. Expenses eligible for reimbursement include but are not limited to:

Medical, dental, or mental health services
Lost income
Funeral or burial expenses
Relocation and home security expenses

Last year, CalVCB provided nearly 30,000 victims with more than $44 million in assistance. CalVCB provides assistance in multiple languages to diverse communities across California. Online resources are available in English and Spanish, and help is available via the phone in nine languages.

In most cases, victims have up to seven years to apply for benefits. After initial approval, benefits are lifelong. If you or someone you know was a victim of a violent crime, learn more and apply today.

“How Would You Help?”:

CalVCB launched this campaign to coincide with National Crime Victims’ Rights Week (NCVRW). This year’s theme is “How Would You Help?” As part of developing this campaign we learned that friends and family members are trusted messengers. If you know someone who was the victim of a violent crime, please let them know that CalVCB can help them rebuild their lives by paying for certain expenses.

Campaign Materials:

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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.