Part L - Strengthening Americas Families by Preventing Violence Against Women and Children

42 USC 14043d - Findings

Congress finds that

(1) the former United States Advisory Board on Child Abuse suggests that domestic violence may be the single major precursor to child abuse and neglect fatalities in this country;

(2) studies suggest that as many as 10,000,000 children witness domestic violence every year;

(3) studies suggest that among children and teenagers, recent exposure to violence in the home was a significant factor in predicting a childs violent behavior;

(4) a study by the Nurse-Family Partnership found that children whose parents did not participate in home visitation programs that provided coaching in parenting skills, advice and support, were almost 5 times more likely to be abused in their first 2 years of life;

(5) a childs exposure to domestic violence seems to pose the greatest independent risk for being the victim of any act of partner violence as an adult;

(6) children exposed to domestic violence are more likely to believe that using violence is an effective means of getting ones needs met and managing conflict in close relationships;

(7) children exposed to abusive parenting, harsh or erratic discipline, or domestic violence are at increased risk for juvenile crime; and

(8) in a national survey of more than 6,000 American families, 50 percent of men who frequently assaulted their wives also frequently abused their children.

42 USC 14043d1 - Purpose

The purpose of this part is to

(1) prevent crimes involving violence against women, children, and youth;

(2) increase the resources and services available to prevent violence against women, children, and youth;

(3) reduce the impact of exposure to violence in the lives of children and youth so that the intergenerational cycle of violence is interrupted;

(4) develop and implement education and services programs to prevent children in vulnerable families from becoming victims or perpetrators of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking;

(5) promote programs to ensure that children and youth receive the assistance they need to end the cycle of violence and develop mutually respectful, nonviolent relationships; and

(6) encourage collaboration among community-based organizations and governmental agencies serving children and youth, providers of health and mental health services and providers of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking victim services to prevent violence against women and children.

42 USC 14043d2 - Grants to assist children and youth exposed to violence

(a) Grants authorized

(1) In general
The Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women, and in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services, is authorized to award grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities for the purpose of mitigating the effects of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking on children exposed to such violence, and reducing the risk of future victimization or perpetration of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

(2) Term
The Director shall make grants under this section for a period of 2 fiscal years.

(3) Award basis
The Director shall award grants

(A) considering the needs of underserved populations;

(B) awarding not less than 10 percent of such amounts to Indian tribes for the funding of tribal projects from the amounts made available under this section for a fiscal year;

(C) awarding up to 8 percent for the funding of technical assistance programs from the amounts made available under this section for a fiscal year; and

(D) awarding not less than 66 percent to programs described in subsection (c)(1) of this section from the amounts made available under this section for a fiscal year.

(b) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $20,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

(1) programs that provide services for children exposed to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, which may include direct counseling, advocacy, or mentoring, and must include support for the nonabusing parent or the childs caretaker; or

(2) training, coordination, and advocacy for programs that serve children and youth (such as Head Start, child care, and after-school programs) on how to safely and confidentially identify children and families experiencing domestic violence and properly refer them to programs that can provide direct services to the family and children, and coordination with other domestic violence or other programs serving children exposed to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking that can provide the training and direct services referenced in this subsection.

(d) Eligible entities
To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall be a^[1]

(1) a victim service provider, tribal nonprofit">nonprofit organization or community-based organization that has a documented history of effective work concerning children or youth exposed to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, including programs that provide culturally specific services, Head Start, childcare, faith-based organizations, after school programs, and health and mental health providers; or

(2) a State, territorial, or tribal, or local unit of government agency that is partnered with an organization described in paragraph (1).

(e) Grantee requirements
Under this section, an entity shall

(1) prepare and submit to the Director an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may require; and

(2) at a minimum, describe in the application the policies and procedures that the entity has or will adopt to

(A) enhance or ensure the safety and security of children who have been or are being exposed to violence and their nonabusing parent, enhance or ensure the safety and security of children and their nonabusing parent in homes already experiencing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking; and

(B) ensure linguistically, culturally, and community relevant services for underserved communities.

[1] So in original. The article probably should not appear.

42 USC 14043d3 - Development of curricula and pilot programs for home visitation projects

(a) Grants authorized

(1) In general
The Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women, and in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services, shall award grants on a competitive basis to home visitation programs, in collaboration with victim service providers, for the purposes of developing and implementing model policies and procedures to train home visitation service providers on addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in families experiencing violence, or at risk of violence, to reduce the impact of that violence on children, maintain safety, improve parenting skills, and break intergenerational cycles of violence.

(2) Term
The Director shall make the grants under this section for a period of 2 fiscal years.

(3) Award basis
The Director shall

(A) consider the needs of underserved populations;

(B) award not less than 7 percent of such amounts for the funding of tribal projects from the amounts made available under this section for a fiscal year; and

(C) award up to 8 percent for the funding of technical assistance programs from the amounts made available under this section for a fiscal year.

(b) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $7,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

(c) Eligible entities
To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall be a national, Federal, State, local, territorial, or tribal

(1) home visitation program that provides services to pregnant women and to young children and their parent or primary caregiver that are provided in the permanent or temporary residence or in other familiar surroundings of the individual or family receiving such services; or

(2) victim services organization or agency in collaboration with an organization or organizations listed in paragraph (1).

(d) Grantee requirements
Under this section, an entity shall

(1) prepare and submit to the Director an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may require; and

(2) describe in the application the policies and procedures that the entity has or will adopt to

(A) enhance or ensure the safety and security of children and their nonabusing parent in homes already experiencing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking;

(B) ensure linguistically, culturally, and community relevant services for underserved communities;

(C) ensure the adequate training by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking victim service providers of home visitation grantee program staff to

(i) safely screen for and/or recognize domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;

(ii) understand the impact of domestic violence or sexual assault on children and protective actions taken by a nonabusing parent or caretaker in response to violence against anyone in the household; and

(iii) link new parents with existing community resources in communities where resources exist; and

(D) ensure that relevant State and local domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking victim service providers and coalitions are aware of the efforts of organizations receiving grants under this section, and are included as training partners, where possible.

42 USC 14043d4 - Engaging men and youth in preventing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking

(a) Grants authorized

(1) In general
The Attorney General, acting through the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women, and in collaboration with the Department of Health and Human Services, shall award grants on a competitive basis to eligible entities for the purpose of developing or enhancing programs related to engaging men and youth in preventing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by helping them to develop mutually respectful, nonviolent relationships.

(2) Term
The Director shall make grants under this section for a period of 2 fiscal years.

(3) Award basis
The Director shall award grants

(A) considering the needs of underserved populations;

(B) awarding not less than 10 percent of such amounts for the funding of Indian tribes from the amounts made available under this section for a fiscal year; and

(C) awarding up to 8 percent for the funding of technical assistance for grantees and non-grantees working in this area from the amounts made available under this section for a fiscal year.

(b) Authorization of appropriations
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section $10,000,000 for each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

(1) Programs
The funds appropriated under this section shall be used by eligible entities

(A) to develop or enhance community-based programs, including gender-specific programs in accordance with applicable laws that

(i) encourage children and youth to pursue nonviolent relationships and reduce their risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking; and

(ii) that^[1] include at a minimum

(I) information on domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, or child sexual abuse and how they affect children and youth; and

(II) strategies to help participants be as safe as possible; or

(B) to create public education campaigns and community organizing to encourage men and boys to work as allies with women and girls to prevent violence against women and girls conducted by entities that have experience in conducting public education campaigns that address domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.

(2) Media limits
No more than 40 percent of funds received by a grantee under this section may be used to create and distribute media materials.

(d) Eligible entities

(1) Relationships
Eligible entities under subsection (c)(1)(A) of this section are

(A) nonprofit">nonprofit, nongovernmental domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking victim service providers or coalitions;

(B) community-based child or youth services organizations with demonstrated experience and expertise in addressing the needs and concerns of young people;

(C) a State, territorial, tribal, or unit of local governmental entity that is partnered with an organization described in subparagraph (A) or (B); or

(D) a program that provides culturally specific services.

(2) Awareness campaign
Eligible entities under subsection (c)(1)(B) of this section are

(A) nonprofit">nonprofit, nongovernmental organizations or coalitions that have a documented history of creating and administering effective public education campaigns addressing the prevention of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault or stalking; or

(B) a State, territorial, tribal, or unit of local governmental entity that is partnered with an organization described in subparagraph (A).

(e) Grantee requirements
Under this section, an entity shall

(1) prepare and submit to the Director an application at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may require; and

(2) eligible entities pursuant to subsection (c)(1)(A) of this section shall describe in the application the policies and procedures that the entity has or will adopt to

(A) enhance or ensure the safety and security of children and youth already experiencing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in their lives;

(B) ensure linguistically, culturally, and community relevant services for underserved communities;

(D) ensure that State and local domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking victim service providers and coalitions are aware of the efforts of organizations receiving grants under this section.

[1] So in original. The word “that” probably should not appear.