Victim Crisis Assistance & Referral Service (VCARS)

VCARS is a community-based service assisting police and emergency services in providing short term emotional support and practical assistance to victims of crime and tragic circumstances.  Community volunteers support victims to meet their immediate needs and supply referrals to existing community service if longer term support is required.

Crisis assistance is provided by trained volunteers who are on call to police 24 hours a day 7 days a week.  With victim consent, the attending officer(s) contacts VCARS to provide emotional support or practical assistance as needed.  VCARS volunteers will assist victims of crime or tragedy including but not limited to: assault, domestic violence, sexual assault, property crime, robbery, theft, family members affected by sudden death from accident, suicide, or homicide, attempted suicide, and multi-casualty occurrences.

In addition to emotional support, volunteers may provide practical assistance of making phone calls, assisting with arranging for essential needs such as food, lodging etc. If the victim identifies as having longer term needs, the volunteers provide information and referral options to community services for ongoing victim assistance.

VCARS Objectives:

• to lessen the trauma of being victimized

• to assist police and emergency services in meeting the needs of victims

• to help victims cope with the impact of crime, trauma and/or tragic circumstances

• to assist victims in accessing appropriate support services in our community

• to provide an opportunity for community members to become more involved in dealing with the effects of crime and victimization

• to educate community members

• to promote victim assistance in Middlesex County

For more information about the VCARS program, please contact the VCARS Program Coordinator at (519) 245-6660 Extension 224 or by e-mail at jane@vsmiddlesex.org.