The Virginia Department of Criminal Justice Services (DCJS), the Virginia Department of Emergency Management (VDEM), the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS), and Virginia Victims Fund (VVF) invite you to a regional Family Assistance Center workshop on December 11, 2023. The workshop will be held from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm at Tidewater Community College located at 1700 College Crescent, Virginia Beach, VA 23453.

This workshop will be both a learning and networking opportunity for those agencies in the Tidewater region who are called upon to respond in the aftermath of a mass casualty incident (MCI) and/or the establishment of a Family Assistance Center (FAC). Your agency will have the opportunity to identify and discuss resource availability and gaps with agencies that you would be working with in a real-world MCI. We have invited representation from state and local law enforcement, victim advocates, Commonwealth's Attorneys, Community Services Boards, Red Cross, Medical Reserve Corps, emergency management, social services, city attorneys' offices, and faith-based leaders from your region to take part in this learning and engagement opportunity.

The workshop is free; however, you must register by December 6, 2023.  We ask that if you are unable to attend, you select a designee to attend on your behalf. The individual at your agency who would generally serve as the main point of contact for such events and has knowledge of the agency emergency operations plan should attend this workshop. We ask that each agency limit your registrations to one or two people from your agency due to limited space.

Please contact Dawn Bush at dawn.bush@dcjs.virginia.gov with any questions.