Serving victims of
Violent Crimes
and
Drunk Driving Crashes
Being a Victim Doesn't Have to Shatter Your Life!
Being a victim of a violent crime and/or drunk driving crash means feeling powerless and vulnerable. Common reactions to physical and psychological trauma include: feeling isolated, scared, restless, irritable, on edge, angry and hopeless. Victims often feel like the world will never be the same and no one understands how they feel.
We serve children, adolescents, and adults. We are also able to serve: immigrants, refugees and the disabled. The crime does not have to have been reported to the police to access the services of our program. There are no time contraints for our services; the crime could have occurred in the recent or distant past.
We offer short-term mental health counseling to help victims explore their options to take back control of their lives. We inform clients about available resources but we do not tell clients what to do. We empower them to make the best decisions they can for themselves and their families.
We provide case mangement to help victims with a variety of additional services. The most common include:
1. Assisting with the process of applying for health insurance.
2. Accessing resources such as housing, health care, emergency shelter, financial assistance, social security, legal assistance and long-term counseling services.
3. Interpreting services.
Counseling and Case Management services are available in English, Spanish and Khmer. Other languages may be arranged as needed.
Counseling can be provided at our office or occasionally at the client's home. Case management can be provided in the office or anywhere the client feels most comfortable.
Victim Compensation is a state fund of 'last resort' for victims of violent crimes. It is intended to cover crime-related costs of medical/dental care, counseling, homemaker expenses, lost wages, and funeral expenses (for families of homicide victims) when victims have been unable to obtain any other compensation for these expenses.
The violent crime has to have been reported to the police within five days and funds must be requested within three years of the crime. The FOCUS staff will help victims determine eligibility and assist them with the application process.
and tomorrow will be
different from yesterday.
For more information or if you have any questions about eligibility, please contact us.
This project is supported by the Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance through the Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA) Grant from the Office for Victims of Crime, Office of Justice Programs, U.S. Department of Justice and a grant from the Drunk Driving Trust Fund (DDTF).
Lowell, MA 01852
Phone: (978) 458-6282
Fax: (978) 441-9826
Email: focus@mhalowell.org