Family Violence Prevention & Services

The Family Violence Prevention and Services (FVPSA) formula grants to states and territories fund more than 1,600 local public, private, nonprofit and faith-based organizations and programs demonstrating effectiveness in the field of domestic violence services and prevention. These domestic violence programs provide victims of domestic and dating violence and their children with:

• Shelter
• Safety planning
• Crisis counseling
• Information and referral
• Legal advocacy
• Additional support services

See  PDF State u0026 Tribal Domestic Violence Services: FVPSA Fact Sheet (322.52 KB) for more information. For a list of entities that receive FVPSA funding, see the  PDF State Administrators list (183.55 KB) .

The Family Violence Prevention and Services Program is pleased to announce the release of its guide for state and territorial administrators, Navigating the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program.

The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) Grants to Native American Tribes (including Alaska Native Villages) and tribal organizations are formula grants funded through a 10% set aside in the FVPSA appropriation. The purpose of these grants is to assist Tribes in efforts to increase public awareness about, and primary and secondary prevention of, family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence, and to provide immediate shelter and supportive services for victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, and their dependents.

Funding is available to all Native American Tribes and tribal organizations that meet the definition of “Indian Tribe” or “tribal organization” at 25 U.S.C. 450b and are able to demonstrate their capacity to carry out domestic violence prevention and services programs.

For more information, please see the  PDF FVPSA Tribal Domestic Violence Services Fact Sheet (330.58 KB)

Each year, FYSB funds a range of discretionary programs coordinated by the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program. These programs aim to:

• Improve the prevention and intervention of domestic violence, dating violence and family violence
• Enhance available support and resources for victims and their children
• Ensure that services are accessible
• Foster practice changes within the domestic violence field
• Support research and data collection on the incidence of domestic violence, dating violence and family violence
• Enhance public awareness of issues related to domestic violence including the life-time health impact, advocacy within culturally specific communities, and the co-occurrence of domestic violence and child maltreatment
• Enhance services for children exposed to domestic violence
• Expand leadership opportunities in the domestic violence field for people from underrepresented groups

Past initiatives have worked to:

• Improve coordination of services for runaway and homeless youth experiencing dating violence
• Eliminate barriers to service for victims of domestic violence with mental health and trauma issues as well as other specialized needs

For more information, please see the list of current discretionary grant projects.

The Domestic Violence Resource Network (DVRN) is funded by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services to inform and strengthen domestic violence intervention and prevention efforts at the individual, community, and societal levels.

The DVRN works collaboratively to promote practices and strategies to improve our nation’s response to domestic violence and make safety and justice not just a priority, but also a reality. DVRN member organizations ensure that victims of domestic violence, advocates, community‐based programs, educators, legal assistance providers, law enforcement and court personnel, health care providers, policy makers, and government leaders at the local, state, tribal and federal levels have access to up‐to-date information on best practices, policies, research and victim resources.

Member organizations are:

• National Resource Center on Domestic Violence Visit disclaimer page  - Harrisburg, PA
• National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center - Lame Deer, MT
• Alaska Native Women's Resource Center - Fairbanks, AK
• Battered Women’s Justice Project & National Clearinghouse for the Defense of Battered Women Visit disclaimer page  - BWJP: Minneapolis, MN and NCDBW: Philadelphia, PA
• National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence Visit disclaimer page  - San Francisco, CA
• National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma & Mental Health - Chicago, IL
• Asian Pacific Institute on Gender-Based Violence Visit disclaimer page - San Francisco, CA
• National Latin@ Network for Healthy Families and Communities - St. Paul, MN
• Ujima, Inc.: The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community - Washington, DC
• Promising Futures Without Violence - Boston, MA
• National Network to End Domestic Violence Visit disclaimer page  - Washington, DC
• Safe Housing Partnerships - Harrisburg, PA
• National Domestic Violence Hotline Visit disclaimer page  - Austin, TX
• StrongHearts Native Helpline Visit disclaimer page  - Eagan, MN

The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act is the primary federal funding stream for State and Territorial Domestic Violence Coalitions, which coordinate state- and territory-wide improvements within local communities, social service systems, and programming regarding the prevention and intervention of domestic violence.  Every Coalition provides comprehensive training and technical assistance on a multitude of social, legal, and economic issues that affect victims’ safety and well-being.  Coalitions partner with government, private industry, non-profit and faith-based communities, and other stakeholders to effectively coordinate and improve the safety-net of services available to victims and their dependents.  

The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) provides funding for the on-going operation of a 24-hour, national, toll-free telephone hotline.  The Hotline is an immediate link to lifesaving help for victims.  It provides information and assistance to adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, family and household members, and other persons such as domestic violence advocates, government officials, law enforcement agencies and the general public.

Accessibility

The Hotline can be accessed via the nationwide number 1−800−799−SAFE(7233) or TTY 1−800−787−3224 or (206) 518-9361 (Video Phone Only for Deaf Callers). The Hotline provides service referrals to agencies in all 50 states, Puerto Rico, Guam and the U.S. Virgin Islands.    Persons can also contact the Hotline through an email request from the Hotline website Visit disclaimer page .

Services are provided without regard to race, color, national origin, religion, gender, age, or disability (including deaf and hard of hearing).  Assistance is available in English and Spanish with access to more than 170 languages through telephonic interpreter services.

Services

The Hotline provides the following services:

• Crisis intervention.
• Domestic violence education.
• Safety planning.
• Directly connecting callers to Service Providers such as local shelters.
• Referrals to agencies that provide legal, economic self-sufficiency, sexual assault, elder abuse, children’s and other related services.

National Domestic Violence Hotline Fact Sheet