Contact: Kathy Zieger, 240-777-2528
For Immediate Release: November 28, 2001

Duncan Seeks Applicants For
Victim Services Advisory Board

County Executive Douglas M. Duncan is seeking applicants to fill six vacancies on the Victim Services Advisory Board. Two vacancies are for professional representatives from the mental health, legal, medical, dental and nursing professions. Four vacancies are for at-large representatives. Applicants must be Montgomery County residents. Four incumbents are eligible to apply for reappointment.

The board advises the County Executive, County Council, and the Department of Health and Human Services, Crisis, Income and Victim Services Division, which assists victims of sexual assault, domestic violence and other crimes. The board consists of 18 voting members. Members serve three-year terms and do not receive compensation.

The primary responsibility of the board is to review available services for crime victims and their families, determine program needs and gaps for victim and family services, and submit at least one report annually to the County Executive and the County Council on the progress of programs for crime victims and their families and necessary improvements. The board also makes recommendations for appropriate funding allocations based on priorities and available resources, participates in developing an annual victim and family service plan, and acts as a local advocate for crime victim services programming.

The board meets the fourth Thursday evening of each month in Rockville. Also, an average of five hours per month of board-related committee work is expected.

Interested citizens should write by December 21 to County Executive Douglas M. Duncan at the Executive Office Building, 101 Monroe St., Rockville, MD 20850. A brief resume, including home and work phone numbers, should be enclosed. Members of County boards, committees and commissions may not serve on more than one such group at a time.

Duncan’s appointments are subject to confirmation by the County Council. Applications of those selected for appointment are made public as part of the confirmation process.