Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance (VIVA)
New Jersey is responding to the crisis of violence that has emerged in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic through an innovative approach to public safety. In September 2022, through an administrative directive, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin created a new Division within the New Jersey Department of Law and Public Safety, the Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance (VIVA).
VIVA will advance a unified strategy for public safety by bringing together victim services, including victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and the Department’s violence intervention and prevention programming. VIVA will centralize these services, under one roof and provide staffing to support these programs statewide.
VIVA will
- Promote a trauma-informed approach on victim assistance and violence intervention services.
- Expand the scope of the victim population served by the Department.
- Develop an infrastructure for victim assistance and violence intervention and prevention services.
- Serve as a resource center and hub of technical assistance and training.
- Coordinate among, build partnerships between, and support initiatives involving law enforcement entities and victim assistance and violence intervention and prevention service providers.
- Provide a structure and outlet for community stakeholders to provider input to improve services.
- Support policies and practices that recognize the important of cultural competency of those providing victim assistance and violence intervention services.
The creation of VIVA marks a transformational step in how New Jersey approaches public safety.
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PRESS RELEASES
Governor Murphy, AG Platkin Announce $100 Million Funding Milestone for the Administration’s Support of Violence Intervention Programming
Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced today that an additional $3 million in federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds have been made available through a notice of funding to support New Jersey’s Trauma Recovery Center (TRC) Program.
CORRECTED: Governor Murphy and AG Platkin Announce Recipients of $5.2 Million to Continue the State’s Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program
Governor Phil Murphy and Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin today announced that $5.2 million in funds allocated for the continued support of the New Jersey Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program (NJHVIP) will be distributed among 11 recipients in 10 counties.
Attorney General Platkin Announces New Jersey Awarded $4M in Federal Funds to Expand Anti-Violence Programs
U.S. Department of Justice issues award to support Department of Law and Public Safety’s community violence intervention strategies.
AG Platkin Announces $2 Million in Federal Funding to Offer Survivors of Sexual Assault a Way to Track the Progress of Their Case
Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin today announced the receipt of $2 million in competitive federal funding to establish an advanced tracking system for the state’s Sexual Assault Forensic Exam (SAFE) Kits.
Acting Governor Way Signs Bill to Formally Establish Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance
Acting Governor Tahesha Way today signed A-4978, codifying the Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance (VIVA) within the Department of Law and Public Safety.
Governor Murphy, Attorney General Platkin Announce $5.5 Million in Hospital-Based Violence Intervention Program Grants
For Immediate Release: September 21, 2023 Office of the Attorney General- Matthew J. Platkin, Attorney GeneralDivision of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance- Patricia Teffenhart, Executive DirectorFor Further Information: Media Inquiries-Tara...
AG Platkin Announces Adoption of Standards and Processes for Microstamping-Enabled Firearms Roster
For Immediate Release: August 22, 2023 Office of the Attorney General- Matthew J. Platkin, Attorney GeneralStatewide Affirmative Firearms Enforcement Office- Ravi Ramanathan, Director For Further Information: Media Inquiries-OAGpress@njoag.govMicrostamping...
AG Platkin Issues New Law Enforcement Directive Establishing Multidisciplinary Response to Strangulation and Smothering
For Immediate Release: August 21, 2023 Office of the Attorney General- Matthew J. Platkin, Attorney GeneralFor Further Information: Media Inquiries-OAGpress@njoag.govTRENTON – Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin today issued a Law Enforcement Directive establishing...
Governor Murphy, Attorney General Platkin Announce $15 Million in Violence Prevention and Intervention Grants Available for Community Organizations
For Immediate Release: August 15, 2023 Office of the Attorney General- Matthew J. Platkin, Attorney GeneralDivision of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance- Patricia Teffenhart, Executive DirectorFor Further Information: Media Inquiries-Tara...
Attorney General Platkin Announces New Online Platform for Victim Compensation Payments
For Immediate Release: May 26, 2023 Office of the Attorney General- Matthew J. Platkin, Attorney GeneralDivision of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance- Patricia Teffenhart, Executive DirectorVictims of Crime Compensation Office- Mary Ellen Bonsper,...
DIRECTIVE 2022-10
Directive Creating the Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance
BIOS
Patricia Teffenhart is the Executive Director of the Division of Violence Intervention and Victim Assistance (VIVA). Teffenhart, of Holmdel, was formerly the Senior Vice President of Strategic Initiatives at the NJ Chamber of Commerce where she led initiatives to support and expand the business community’s commitment to, and advancement of, diversity, equity, and inclusion. Prior to joining the Chamber, Patricia served as the Executive Director of the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NJCASA) from 2013 to 2021, and during her tenure she successfully advocated for passage of the Sexual Assault Survivors Protection Act of 2015, co-chaired the Governor’s appointed Campus Sexual Assault Task Force, and helped to ensure loopholes were closed in the hiring practices for school employees to protect children from sexual predators, among other accomplishments. Patricia is a proud graduate of Douglass College and holds a Master’s in Public Administration from the Rutgers School of Public Affairs and Administration.