BRIEF HISTORY
In 1994, the United States Congress passed the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) as part of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act. One part of the VAWA initiative was the creation of the STOP (Services, Training, Officers, Prosecution) Violence Against Women program. The STOP program promotes a coordinated, multidisciplinary approach to improving the criminal justice sys
tem's response to violent crimes against women and encourages the development and strengthening of effective law enforcement and prosecution strategies to address violent crimes against women and the development and strengthening of victim services in cases involving violent crimes against women. The STOP grant program is known as V-STOP in Virginia and is guided by the V-STOP State Planning Team. CONFIDENTIALITY POLICY
All client information obtained while working as a staff member, intern, or volunteer of the Tazewell County, V-Stop Program will be held in the strictest confidence from any outside person or agency. Any information pertinent to a criminal case investigation or prosecution may be discussed within the Tazewell Count Commonwealth Attorney's office and with other appropriate criminal justice personnel who are assisting with the investigation or prosecution of that case. All other information, not related to a criminal case, communicated by the client shall remain confidential between that client and the Tazewell County V-Stop Program representative. When preparing reports, responding to surveys or requests from the media, or providing educational presentations, only non-identifying information will be disseminated. All records containing confidential information will be maintained securely in locked files accessible only to representatives of the Tazewell County V-Stop Program. The only exceptions to confidentiality include:
1) client requests in writing that the program release information,
2) client makes a report of child or elder abuse,
3) client threatens to hurt self or others, and/or
4) court orders disclosure via subpoena. Every client will be informed of the conditions of this confidentiality policy during the first Program contact with that client. NON DISCRIMINATION POLICY
As a recipient of Federal financial assistance, Tazewell County V-Stop Program does not exclude, deny benefits to, or otherwise discriminate against any person on the ground of race, color, national origin, disability, or age, s*x, s*xual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, etc. in admission to, participation in, or receipt of the services and benefits under any of its programs and activities, and in staff and employee assignments to clients, whether carried out by Tazewell County V-Stop Program directly or through a contractor or any other entity with which Tazewell County V-Stop Program arranges to carry out its programs and activities. This statement is in accordance with the provisions of Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of
1964 (nondiscrimination on the basis of race, color, national origin), Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (nondiscrimination on the basis of disability), the Age
Discrimination Act of 1975 (nondiscrimination on the basis of age), regulations of the
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued pursuant to these three statutes at
Title 45 Code of Federal Regulations Parts 80, 84, and 91, (and state laws or corporate
policies, etc.). Additionally, in accordance with Section 1557 of the Patient Protection and Affordable
Care Act of 2010, 42 U.S.C. § 18116, Tazewell County V-Stop Program does not exclude, deny benefits to, or otherwise discriminate against any person on the ground of s*x (including gender
identity) in admission to, participation in, or receipt of the services and benefits under any
of its health programs and activities, and in staff and employee assignments, whether
carried out by Tazewell County V-Stop Program directly or through a contractor or any other entity with which Tazewell County V-Stop Program arranges to carry out its programs and activities. HELPFUL LINKS:
The V-STOP Program is under the umbrella of the Tazewell County Commonwealth's Attorney's Office
https://www.facebook.com/tazatt01
We also work in conjunction with the Tazewell County Victim Witness Assistance Program
https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100064747324478
Virginia Crime Victim Assistance Program
https://www.dcjs.virginia.gov/victims-services
National Domestic Violence Hotline
http://www.thehotline.org/
Clinch Valley Community Action
https://clinchvalleycaa.org/
Southwest Virginia Legal Aid Society
https://svlas.org
