MIDWEST REGIONAL CONFERENCE
OPENING REMARKS
BY
AILEEN ADAMS
DES MOINES, IOWA
MAY 19, 1996
I AM THRILLED TO BE HERE. I CAME TO IOWA NOT SO MUCH TO SPEAK, BUT TO HEAR BECAUSE I KNOW THAT YOU HAVE MUCH TO TEACH THE REST OF THE COMMUNITY. CERTAINLY WITH REGARD TO VICTIMS' ISSUES, THERE ARE SOME REMARKABLE IOWANS WHO ARE AT THE FOREFRONT --- ON THE CUTTING EDGE --- OF MAKING A DIFFERENCE AND SETTING A HIGH STANDARD FOR VICTIMS' PROGRAMS.
ONE OF THESE, OF COURSE, IS BONNIE CAMPBELL --- WHO IS NOW A NATIONAL TREASURE --- WHO HAS DONE AN OUTSTANDING AND EFFECTIVE JOB IMPLEMENTING THE VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN ACT. I UNDERSTAND THAT HER APPROPRIATIONS HEARING LAST WEEK WAS EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL -- SENATORS OF BOTH PARTIES HIGHLY PRAISING HER IMPLEMENTATION OF THAT HISTORIC ACT.
ANOTHER IOWAN WHO IS MAKING A DIFFERENCE FOR CRIME VICTIMS AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL IS JACKIE McCANN CLELAND -- WHO AS YOU KNOW, SUPERVISES OVC'S STATE COMPENSATION AND ASSISTANCE DIVISION. JACKIE BRINGS GREAT ENERGY, VISION, AND ABILITY TO EVERYTHING SHE UNDERTAKES AND HAS GREATLY ASSISTED OVC IN STREAMLINING GUIDELINES TO GIVE STATES MORE DISCRETION, ENSURING INPUT FROM THE FIELD IN EVERYTHING WE DO -- GUIDED BY THE FIELD -- ESTABLISHING INNOVATIVE PROGRAMS, SUCH AS OUR MENTORING PROGRAM, TO IMPROVE THE CAPACITY OF STATES.
SPEAKING OF OUR MENTORING PROGRAM, I ALSO WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE EXTRAORDINARY WORK OF ANOTHER IOWAN WHO IS A WONDERFUL VICTIM ADVOCATE --- KELLY BRODIE, WHO MANAGES ONE OF THE FINEST VOCA PROGRAMS IN THE COUNTRY. IN FACT, THE SERVICES THAT SHE'S DEVELOPED ARE CONSIDERED TO BE SO EFFECTIVE THAT SHE BECAME THE FIRST PERSON IN THE COUNTRY THAT OVC TURNED TO TO INITIATE OUR MENTORING PROGRAM --- TO TEACH ANOTHER STATE THE BEST PROCEDURES AVAILABLE IN VOCA PROGRAMS. WE KNOW THAT THE $2 MILLION THAT OVC HAS DISTRIBUTED TO IOWA TO HELP SUPPORT YOUR VICTIM ASSISTANCE AND COMPENSATION PROGRAMS COULD NOT BE IN BETTER HANDS.
AND FINALLY, I WANT TO RECOGNIZE THE IMPORTANT AND CARING WORK OF YOUR ATTORNEY GENERAL, TOM MILLER, WHO AGAIN SET A VERY HIGH STANDARD FOR THE COUNTRY WHEN FOLLOWING THE OKLAHOMA CITY BOMBING HE WAS INSTRUMENTAL IN MAKING $100,000 AVAILABLE TO OKLAHOMA CITY VICTIMS THROUGH IOWA'S COMPENSATION PROGRAM. NOW THERE'S A MAN WHO RECOGNIZES A NEED, CUTS THROUGH THE RED TAPE, AND HELPS GET SERVICES DIRECTLY TO THE PEOPLE WHO NEED IT MOST.