Address Confidentiality Program Awareness Ideas

Here are some ideas on ways to incorporate information and education on Pennsylvania´s Address Confidentiality Program (ACP) administered by the Office of the Victim Advocate (OVA), in your local area.

Education Training

• Make sure all volunteer and staff are trained well enough on ACP to offer it as a safety option to all appropriate clients/victims.
• Invite OVA staff to present an ACP in-service for your staff/volunteers or host a regional training on ACP for all the victim service agencies in your area.
• Organize training for your local and state government who are mandated to accept ACP.
• Mention ACP, when appropriate, in all of the agency´s prevention and education programs conducted.

Networking

• Educate DA´s, Legal Services, Children and Youth, Area Agency on Aging, police and any other services within the community on ACP.
• Develop a community outreach campaign or public relations program with a local business partner on ACP.
• Partner with local businesses to educate their employees on ACP as part of a safety-planning program.
• Encourage local business partners to accept ACP address for participants.

Victims' Services Program

• Designate specific staff or one department, such as the Legal Department, to be your agency "experts" on ACP.
• Designate a contact person within your program who will maintain a supply of brochures, applications and ACP participant cards.
• Update your basic counselor/advocate staff/volunteer training curriculum and any other outreach curricula to incorporate ACP.
• Add ACP to any safety planning materials.
• Update your intake form to include referral and assistance with ACP.
• Provide ACP information routinely to all clients, and hand out ACP brochures to clients along with other brochures.
• Brainstorm at your staff meetings on when and how to offer ACP as a part of safety planning.
• Mention ACP at least one time per month at all support groups.

Media Outreach

• When updating your agency service brochure, website, and other literature, include ACP assistance as a listed service provided by your agency.
• Provide ACP web address www.paacp.state.pa.us on your agency´s web site.
• Publish an article on ACP in your agency newsletter.
• Establish a point within the community where ACP brochures and flyers can be placed as a resource.