A member of the International Association for Volunteer Effort, Deborah Henson-Moody participates in a number of humanitarian efforts and is a registered organ donor. Deborah Henson-Moody also supports Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), which helps victims of intoxication-related accidents through the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).
Congress enacted the Victims of Crime Act in 1984 and established the Crime Victims Fund to help organizations like MADD develop assistance and compensation programs for victims of violent crime. The act also enabled the Crime Victims Fund to procure money for victim support from criminal fines, forfeited bail bonds, and other monetary penalties that do not contribute to the national debt. Victim compensation programs offer direct reimbursement for medical costs, lost wages, and funeral and burial expenses. Furthermore, grants for victim assistance and compensation programs are available to organizations nationwide, although grant eligibility criteria may vary from state to state.
Funds provided by VOCA grants allow MADD to aid victims in several states across the country. In 2014, the organization assisted over 63,000 victims of drunk and drugged driving-related incidents. Despite the decrease in such crimes in the last 30 years, MADD still relies on the Crime Victims Fund to help victims of drunk driving and encourages the public to express its support of VOCA funding.
For more information about victim assistance and compensation, as well as other resources provided by MADD, visit the organization’s victim services page at www.madd.org/victim-services.
