The clock is winding down for 1 October Survivors to Apply for Program

Nevada Victims of Crime Program deadline drawing near

Re-posted on behalf of Clark County, Nevada

August 31, 2018. The Vegas Strong Resiliency Center is hoping to reach more people who were present during the shooting at the Route 91 Harvest Festival to remind them that they have one more month to submit an application for the Nevada Victims of Crime Program.  Saturday, Sept. 1 marks 11 months since the mass shooting, and the last day to submit an application for the Nevada Victims of Crime program is Oct. 1, 2018, or within one year of the date of the crime.

Funds from the Nevada Victims of Crime program may help reimburse people for out-of-pocket expenses resulting from the shooting such as medical bills or counseling co-pays not covered by insurance. Even if you live outside of Nevada or don’t have any eligible expenses now, survivors are encouraged to apply for the program before the application due date of Oct. 1, 2018, in case they incur future expenses that may be covered by the program.  An application to apply for the Nevada Victims of Crime Program is posted on the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center’s website at www.VegasStrongRC.org. Caring staff at the center is available to answer questions about the Nevada Victims of Crime Program, and they can assist anyone who needs help completing an application. The center can be reached by phone at (702) 455-2433 (AIDE) or toll-free at (833) 299-2433, and by email at: vegasstrongresiliencycenter@clarkcountynv.gov.  The center also has a Facebook page at www.Facebook.com/VegasStrongResiliencyCenter. Its address is 1524 Pinto Lane, Las Vegas, NV 89106. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, except holidays.

Every state has a Victims of Crime program affiliated with the U.S. Department of Justice. Funding for the program comes from court-ordered fines and fees and helps victims of violent crimes pay for expenses related to the crime. To date the Nevada Victims of Crime Program has processed nearly 4,900 applications for assistance from the 1 October incident and paid more than $2.8 million in claims. “The Nevada Victims of Crime Program is dedicated to ensuring victims who were present at the tragedy on Oct. 1, 2017, have access to services available through our program, but they need to be in our system within one year of the date of the crime to qualify,” said Michelle Morgando, program coordinator for the Nevada Victims of Crime Program. “It’s important to submit an application by the due date of Oct. 1, 2018, to ensure you are eligible for funding assistance in the future if you incur eligible expenses such as counseling.”

Mental health experts say it’s not uncommon for survivors of mass violence and trauma to seek counseling months or years after an incident occurred Clark County Television produced a video posted on YouTube that walks viewers through the application process: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJv9zadqgGg.  The County also produced a Public Service Announcement about the program that is airing on local and national TV and radio broadcast stations and is posted on our social media sites:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QJ_FwT5iR48.

The Vegas Strong Resiliency Center opened on Oct. 23, 2017, to provide free resources and support to anyone affected by the 1 October shooting including survivors, family members of victims, responders and those who witnessed the incident or tried to assist victims.  Since the Vegas Strong Resiliency Center opened, it has served more than 6,800 people.

Services include victim advocacy and support; legal consultations for civil legal matters such as debt collection, foreclosure, insurance claims, and family law issues; grief counseling and spiritual care referrals; and technical assistance accessing online resources including FBI Victim Assistance Services for claiming personal items left behind at the 1 October concert venue. Partnering agencies represented on site at the Resiliency Center include Clark County’s Department of Social Service, the Legal Aid Center of Southern Nevada, the Nevada Victims of Crime Program, Nevada Division of Child and Family Services, Cark County Department of Family Services, Southern Nevada Adult Mental Health Services, and the LVMPD Victims Services.

Media Contact:

Stacey Welling, Sr. Public Information Officer

stac@ClarkCountyNV.gov, 702-455-3201

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