This session shared tips on how to reach various underserved victim populations successfully, provide information to more comprehensively understand cultural issues and barriers, and to help these victim populations apply for and receive victim services and benefits.

1. California Office of Emergency Services
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Lao Family’s Crime Victims Assistance Program
This project was funded by state grant # UV 12031427 through the California Office of Emergency Services

2. Our Mission & Goal:
Lao Family Community Development is a 501 © (3)
organization. We are dedicated to helping immigrant,
refugees and U.S. born low-income families achieve
long term social and economic self-sufficiency. Lao
Family aims to inspire individuals to set goals, utilize
their imagination and believe in themselves.
Our goal is to make you feel at home at our agency in
the U.S., and in our community and to help you create
a successful, healthy life for you and your family.
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3. Lao Family Community Development Inc
• Have 4 offices: San Pablo,
• Sacramento, North Highland
• Our head quarter is in Oakland, CA
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4. Sacramento Office
• Lao Family’s Crime Victims Assistance
Program
• On Job Training Program/Refugee job
placement
• Refugee/Vocational English as Second
language (VESL)
• Senior Programs
• Extended Subsidize Employment (ESE)
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5. Population We Serve
Southeast Asian Refugees /
Immigration and US born
Population
Mien, Laotian, Thai, Hmong,
Burmese, Karen, Chin, Kachin,
Cambodian, Bhutanese, Vietnamese,
Chinese, and others.
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6. Barriers/Cultures
Language Barrier
Lack of information
Unaware of the Victim
Compensation Program
Victim seek help from their
leaders, parents/parents in-law
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7. Continue Type Cultures
Respects Their Leaders, Parents/parents
in-law and Husband.
Example Hmong have 18 clan means 18
Leaders. Now they add another 4 clans.
Cambodian, and Lao are the same but
they have temple Leaders/Monks
Mien have their district leaders/LFCD
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8. How Can You Reach and More effectively
apply for and receive victim benefit and
services
Outreach to these communities
Educate the communities regards the
victim compensation benefits
Hire staff who can speaks languages and
understand their cultures
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9. Cases Example
 Fist case. A father who kills his own
family include his wife and 2 grown
sons.
 Good team work with Victim Witness
Advocate.
 Second case. Victim did receive
compensation benefit but there was a
mistake victim received benefits twice
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10. System improvements are needed
* Victim Compensation Program should
hire staff who speak and understand the
their cultures
* Collaborate with other agency to create
resilience
* Work with all Communities Leaders to
foster growth and unity but importantly to
promote awareness within the cultures.
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11. I encourage/and tip take home
Please do more outreach in your local
community.
Provide compensation benefit education
Please hire more Southeast Asian staff in
clued Mien, Lao, Hmong, Cambodian,
Chinese and Vietnamese in your program.
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12. Contact Information
www.lfcd.org
Chaosarn Chao, President/CEO
chaosarn@lfcd.org
Kathy Chao, Executive Director
kchao@lfcd.org
Maichew Chao
mchao@lfcd.org
Phone numbers
Oakland CA (510) 533/8053
San Pablo CA (510) 215/1220
and Sacramento CA (916) 3939/7501
This project was funded by state grant # UV 12031427 through the California Emergency Management Agency
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