Office of Work-Life (CG-111) :
Sexual Assault Prevention and Response Program (SAPR) - Victim Advocates (VAs)

Access to Victim Advocates (VA Mandate)

Commands must ensure adequate access to VA services. Within 90 days of this ALCOAST all commands will develop a plan to ensure adequate VA access. SARCs are available to assist in plan development. The timeframe to actually fulfill these plans will vary depending upon the availability of VA training quotas. Commands with 50 or more collocated members permanently assigned are required to recruit and designate (in writing) two Coast Guard-trained VAs from their unit. An additional VA must be designated for every 200 members (above the baseline 50) assigned to that command. Larger units such as the Coast Guard Academy and Training Center Cape May should consider this mandate a minimum as their needs and size may require a small number of additional VAs. Commands with fewer than 50 members are required to either: Recruit and designate, in writing, two Coast Guard trained VAs from their unit, or coordinate with the servicing SARC, other units, and the chain of command to identify and designate two VAs from units within a reasonable driving distance, able to provide VA services. The first major command (O6 or above) will monitor and approve all such agreements for units within their AORs.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding this policy revision
VA Designation Letter Template
Command Waiver Template
Command Victim Advocate (VA) Selection Job Aid