Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance

I've been working with victim services agencies in Colorado for nearly ten years and am continually disappointed with COVA and their work in the community. They have an extremely poor management structure, primarily with the Executive Director who is far past the point where she needs to retire and the other management staff are simply not qualified. The person who has answered the phone for a long time, I believe her name is Colleen, is one of the rudest people I've ever encountered. The good board and staff members are driven out by the unethical managers of the agency and it is so tragic. Someday, COVA could be a good organization, but for now, they don't provide the community with services and they take money away from direct service agencies that actually do good work. Their trainings are abysmal and haven't changed in years.

My first experience with the Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance was the yearly conference in the fall of 1996. It was nearly fifteen years ago and I was a brand new law enforcement based victim advocate. Everwhere I turned, I found helpful people and useful infomation. I also learned that COVA has a passion for victim services that is contagious! In the years since, not only have I grown in experience and responsibility, but I have grown in dependance upon and respect for this organization. The leadership and staff of COVA work tirelessly to provide statewide training and support for all of our agencies, emergency funds for victims, legislative involvement to continue to strengthen the Victim Rights Movement in not only Colorado, but throughout the nation. They are exemplary in reputation, service, compassion and leadership.

Now that I am a board member and have become more deeply involved with COVA, my respect and gratitude has deepened. This is truly a first class organization that strives daily to live out our mission statement.

COVA provides our communities with excellent information and referral sources for victims throughout Colorado. The training and networking opportunities provided through COVA events is extremely meaningful in ensuring that victim service providers are able to serve victims with the most current information but also through connecting them with the best community resources available.

The Colorado Organization for Victim Assistance is the premier state organization for people and entities serving victims of crime in Colorado. It's annual conference is the conduit for both information sharing, training and networking to improve services to children and adults who experience physical/emotional/sexual violent crimes. COVA bridges judicial entities, nonprofits, grassroots organizations and crime-fighting efforts, including domestic, family crimes to street assaults. Nobody does this better.

COVA is an amazing organization!! They provide excellent training year round to new and continuing victim advocates. I have attended the COVA conference for the last 4 years and have always walked away being more knowledgeable on how to further help victims. The staff is warm, caring and knowledgeable in their field.

They also inspire and encourage younger generations to follow in thier steps by allowing them training as well.