Roper Victim Assistance Academy of Maryland

The Roper Academy is modeled on the National Victim Assistance Academy, the nation’s premier training and education program for professionals who assist victims of crime.

The mission of RVAAM is to provide a broad spectrum of basic advocacy training that will standardize the training of crime victim service providers in Maryland, thereby expand and enhance the level of professionalism within the victim services field. As such, the Academy strives to increase participants’ knowledge of national, state, and local resources, and to provide an opportunity to network with other victim service providers.

In addition to its bi-annual foundational training, the Roper Academy also offers the VSTEP Program (circa 2019) providing "virtual" advanced training throughout the year to victim service professionals and ancillary providers.

In 2024, the Academy reaches its 21st year and its 26th & 27th training sessions.

VSTEP surpasses 12,000 in the number trained by the program.