On Monday, the Department of Health and Human Services awarded $200 million to support the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) Program grantees, funded through the American Rescue Plan. The Department’s funding is through the Family and Youth Services Bureau at the Administration for Children, Youth, and Families.
These programs provide crisis intervention and safety planning resources available to domestic violence survivors across the country. The programs also work to reduce domestic violence in geographically isolated Alaskan Native villages and dedicate resources towards healing and resilience for children exposed to domestic violence.
This award will include 296 supplemental grants to reach states, territories, and tribes,a s well as national and state resource centers and coalitions, Specialized Services for Abused Parents and Children, and national hotlines.
Every year, FVPSA-funded programs serve more than 1.3 million victims and their dependents and respond to 2.7 million crisis calls. These supplemental funds will allow FVPSA to continue and expand support.
JooYeun Chang, ACF Acting Assistant Secretary, stated, “The rise in domestic violence incidents during the COVID-19 public health emergency is a crisis within the pandemic, that’s why President Biden is investing in the network that supports survivors and families. The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act Program is the only dedicated federal funding stream for shelters and supportive services for victims of domestic violence and their children…Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, we are providing critical support to supplement existing programs that provide shelter and supportive services for survivors of domestic violence and their children.”
Sources: Administration for Children and Families Press Release
