Announcing the Colorado Advocate Certification Program (CACP)

A Voluntary Certification Program for Victim Advocates in Colorado

On April 19, 2006, the COVA Board of Directors unanimously approved a motion to establish a voluntary victim advocate certification program. The Board considered and adopted a proposal submitted by the COVA Committee on Credentialing, made up of representatives from both system and non-system agencies, which had been meeting for over a year to debate, discuss, and define the parameters and substance of the certification program. The Certification Program will provide the opportunity for many in the victim services field to gain voluntary certification status through COVA. It will encourage and recognize those that have achieved years of experience and training, while honoring the service and training of part-time and volunteer advocates. Please read through the following information and download the applications located at the bottom of this page.

The Program consists of three levels of certification -- basic, intermediate, and advanced. The requirements of each are outlined below:

Basic Advocate Certificate:
Verification of a minimum of 2 years (full or part-time) of active status paid or volunteer work experience in the field, and a minimum of 140 service hours. Service hours must include direct service to victims, but may also include case review meetings, hot-line work, shadowing, case management, and staff supervision.
Completion of 60 hours of basic advocate training, including a minimum of 15 hours from each of the required subject areas, and 15 hours maximum from electives. Required areas are Victim Issues (15 hours), Advocate Skills (15 hours), and System Agency Response (15 hours).
Completion of the application and all necessary forms.
Current supervisor must sign the application and verify experience in direct services as well as the training hours attended.
Abide by and sign the Code of Ethics for Victim Advocates.
Submission of 2 letters of recommendation that attest to the applicant's skills, ability, and years in the field. One letter must be from a current supervisor, and one letter from another person in the Victim Services field.

Intermediate Advocate Certificate:
Verification of a minimum of 4 years (7200 hours) of active status paid or volunteer work experience in the field, and a minimum of 280 direct service hours.
Completion of 124 hours of training as follows: Completion of 60 hours of basic advocate training (including a minimum of 15 hours from each of the 3 required subject areas as described above and 15 hours maximum from electives); and completion of an additional 64 hours of training, including 6 hours of Cultural and Diversity Considerations, and 6 hours of Victim Rights training.
Completion of the application and all necessary forms.
Current supervisor must sign the application and verify direct service experience and training hours.
Abide by and sign the Code of Ethics for Victim Advocates.
Submission of 2 letters of recommendation that attest to the applicant's skills, ability, and years in the field. One letter must be from a current supervisor, and one letter from another person in the Victim Services field.

Advanced Advocate Certificate:
Verification of a minimum of 8 years (14,400 hours) of active status paid or volunteer work experience in the field and a minimum of 560 direct service hours.
Completion of 156 hours of training as follows: Completion of 60 hours of basic advocate training (including a minimum of 15 hours from each of the 3 required subject areas as described above and 15 hours maximum from electives); and completion of an additional 96 hours of training, including 12 hours of Cultural and Diversity Considerations and 12 hours of Victim Rights training.
Completion of the application and all necessary forms.
Current supervisor must sign the application and verify direct service experience and training hours.
Abide by and sign the Code of Ethics for Victim Advocates.
Submission of 2 letters of recommendation that attest to the applicant's skills, ability, and years in the field. One letter must be from a current supervisor, and one letter from another person in the Victim Services field.

Renewal of Certification

For all 3 levels, the renewal process is the same:
Renewal of certificate every 2 years with 32 hours of continuing education documentation and a minimum of 140 service hours as defined above. Continuing education must include 3 hours of Cultural and Diversity Considerations and 3 hours of Victim Rights training.
Submission of renewal application.
Abide by and sign the Code of Ethics for Victim Advocates.
Current supervisor must sign the renewal application and verify experience in direct services and verify the training hours.

Certification Program Fees

For each of the 3 levels of certification -- basic, intermediate, or advanced, and for renewal applications, there is a $50 fee to process the application.

This is a brief explanation of the Certificate Program. More complete information is contained in the Information Packet. You will find a detailed description of the requirements for each level of certification (basic, intermediate, and advanced), regulations governing the program, application forms, a listing of the training topics included in required subjects and electives, and the complete Code of Professional Ethics for Victim Assistance Providers below. You will need ALL 3 DOCUMENTS.

COVA wishes to acknowledge the valuable contribution of each member of the Credentialing Committee who devoted so many hours to the design of the Certificate Program. All of us realize that the program will be embraced with enthusiasm by some and with opposition by others. Nonetheless, COVA believes that voluntary certification is an important and necessary step toward recognition and professionalism of the victim assistance field and will promote a higher standard of services to the crime victims in our state.

The documents below are in pdf format. You will need Adobe Acrobat Reader to open them. Click for more information on Adobe Acrobat Reader.

CACP Information Packet

CACP Application Packet

Code of Ethics for Victim Advocates