History of Victim Services of Middlesex County

In 1987, the Ministry of the Solicitor General funded Victim Crisis Assistance and Referral Services (VCARS) as pilot projects in three communities in Ontario. The projects operated using specially trained volunteer providers to deliver the victim services, dealing exclusively with the short-term needs of the victim within a framed crisis intervention model. The outcome of these pilot projects showed: that jurisdictions can be serviced by a central community based location; that crisis intervention victim services can be provided primarily through the use of trained volunteers; that each community can develop victim services within its unique resource boundaries and community policing philosophy; and that the VCARS model has proven capable of significantly reducing the trauma and surrounding consequences of victimization.

In January 1997 the first meeting of the parties including, Ministry of Solicitor General, Ontario Provincial Police, Strathroy Police Service and community citizens occurred in Strathroy (within Middlesex County).  A Board of Directors was established and by April 1998 the first class of Crisis Volunteers began training. On June 22, 1998, the program began responding to calls for assistance from the OPP detachments in London and Strathroy. On October 1, 1998 Victim Services of Middlesex County was incorporated as a non-profit agency and on January 1, 1999 was granted status as a registered charity. Initially existing on donations from service clubs, organizations, businesses and individuals, a grant was received from the Ontario Trillium Foundation in September 1999. With an operating agency, the Solicitor General provided interim funding in October 1999 which was extended until Annualized Funding was established from the Ministry of the Attorney General in April 1, 2001.