(a) These grants are to provide resource information, training, and technical assistance to improve the capacity of individuals, organizations, governmental entities, and communities to prevent family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence and to provide effective intervention services. They fund national, special issue, and culturally-specific resource centers addressing key areas of domestic violence intervention and prevention, and may include State resource centers to reduce disparities in domestic violence in States with high proportions of Native American (including Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian) populations and to support training and technical assistance that address emerging issues related to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, to entities demonstrating expertise in these areas. Grants may be made for:

(1) A National Resource Center on Domestic Violence which will conduct the following activities:

(i) offer a comprehensive array of technical assistance and training resources to Federal, State, and local governmental agencies, domestic violence service providers, community-based organizations, and other professionals and interested parties, related to domestic violence service programs and research, including programs and research related to victims and their children who are exposed to domestic violence; and

(ii) Maintain a central resource library in order to collect, prepare, analyze, and disseminate information and statistics related to the incidence and prevention of family violence and domestic violence; and the provision of shelter, supportive services, and prevention services to adult and youth victims of domestic violence (including services to prevent repeated incidents of violence).

(2) A National Indian Resource Center Addressing Domestic Violence and Safety for Indian Women which will conduct the following activities:

(i) Offer a comprehensive array of technical assistance and training resources to Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations, specifically designed to enhance the capacity of the Tribes and Tribal organizations to respond to domestic violence and increase the safety of Indian women; and

(ii) Enhance the intervention and prevention efforts of Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations to respond to domestic violence and increase the safety of Indian women, and

(iii) To coordinate activities with other Federal agencies, offices, and grantees that address the needs of Indians (including Alaska Natives) and Native Hawaiians that experience domestic violence.

(3) Special issue resource centers to provide national information, training, and technical assistance to State and local domestic violence service providers. Each special issue resource center shall focus on enhancing domestic violence intervention and prevention efforts in at least one of the following areas:

(i) Response of the criminal and civil justice systems to domestic violence victims, which may include the response to the use of the self-defense plea by domestic violence victims and the issuance and use of protective orders;

(ii) Response of child protective service agencies to victims of domestic violence and their dependents and child custody issues in domestic violence cases;

(iii) Response of the interdisciplinary health care system to victims of domestic violence and access to health care resources for victims of domestic violence; and

(iv) Response of mental health systems, domestic violence service programs, and other related systems and programs to victims of domestic violence and to their children who are exposed to domestic violence.

(4) Culturally-Specific Special Issue Resource Centers enhance domestic violence intervention and prevention efforts for victims of domestic violence who are members of racial and ethnic minority groups, to enhance the cultural and linguistic relevancy of service delivery, resource utilization, policy, research, technical assistance, community education, and prevention initiatives.

(5) State resource centers to provide Statewide information, training, and technical assistance to Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and local domestic violence service organizations serving Native Americans (including Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians) in a culturally sensitive and relevant manner. These centers shall:

(i) Offer a comprehensive array of technical assistance and training resources to Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, and providers of services to Native Americans (including Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians) specifically designed to enhance the capacity of the Tribes, organizations, and providers to respond to domestic violence, including offering the resources in States in which the population of Indians (including Alaska Natives) or Native Hawaiians exceeds 2.5 percent of the total population of the State;

(ii) Coordinate all projects and activities with the National Indian Resource Center Addressing Domestic Violence and Safety for Indian Women, including projects and activities that involve working with State and local governments to enhance their capacity to understand the unique needs of Native Americans (including Alaska Natives and Native Hawaiians); and

(iii) Provide comprehensive community education and domestic violence prevention initiatives in a culturally sensitive and relevant manner; and

(iv) Otherwise meet certain eligibility requirements for state resource centers to reduce tribal disparities, pursuant to 42 U.S.C. 10410(c)(4).

(6) Other discretionary purposes to support training and technical assistance that address emerging issues related to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, to entities demonstrating related experience.

(b) To receive a grant under any part of this section, an entity shall submit an application that shall meet such eligibility standards as are prescribed in the FVPSA and contains such agreements, assurances, and information, in such form, and submitted in such manner as the Funding Opportunity Announcement and related program guidance prescribe.

(a) These grants serve to expand the capacity of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence service programs and community-based programs to prevent future domestic violence by addressing, in an appropriate manner, the needs of children exposed to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence. To be eligible an entity must be a local agency, a nonprofit private organization (including faith-based and charitable organizations, community-based organizations, and voluntary associations), or a Tribal organization, with a demonstrated record of serving victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence and their children.

(b) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall submit an application that:

(1) Includes a complete description of the applicant's plan for providing specialized services for abused parents and their children, including descriptions of:

(i) How the entity will prioritize the safety of, and confidentiality of, information about victims of family violence, victims of domestic violence, and victims of dating violence and their children, and will comply with the confidentiality requirements of FVPSA, 42 U.S.C. 10406(c)(5) and this rule at § 1370.4;

(ii) How the entity will provide developmentally appropriate and age-appropriate services, and culturally and linguistically appropriate services, to the victims and children;

(iii) How the entity will ensure that professionals working with the children receive the training and technical assistance appropriate and relevant to the unique needs of children exposed to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence; and

(iv) How, in the case of victims who choose to or by virtue of their circumstances must remain in contact with an abusive partner/parent, the entity will: consider the victim's decision-making for keeping children safe within the continuum of domestic violence (see the definition of domestic violence in the regulatory text at § 1370.2 which describes the potential range of behaviors constituting domestic violence); not place burdens or demands on the non-abusive parent that the parent cannot comply with due to the coercive control of the offender; and take precautions to avoid actions that discourage victims from help-seeking, such as making unnecessary referrals to child protective services when survivors go to community-based organizations for assistance in safety planning to protect children.

(2) Demonstrates that the applicant has the ability to effectively provide, or partner with an organization that provides, direct counseling, appropriate services, and advocacy on behalf of victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, and their children, including coordination with services provided by the child welfare system, schools, health care providers, home visitors, family court systems, and any other child or youth serving system;

(3) Demonstrates that the applicant can effectively provide services for non-abusing parents to support those parents' roles as caregivers and their roles in responding to the social, emotional, and developmental needs of their children; and

(4) Contains such agreements, assurances, and information, in such form, and submitted in such manner as the Funding Opportunity Announcement and related program guidance prescribe.

(c) Eligible applicants may use funds under a grant pursuant to this section:

(1) To provide early childhood development and mental health services;

(2) To coordinate activities with and provide technical assistance to community-based organizations serving victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence or children exposed to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence; and

(3) To provide additional services and referrals to services for children, including child care, transportation, educational support, respite care, supervised visitation, or other necessary services.

(d) If Congressional appropriations in any fiscal year for the entirety of programs covered in this part (exclusive of the National Domestic Violence Hotline which receives a separate appropriation) exceed $130 million, not less than 25 percent of such excess funds shall be made available to carry out this grant program. If appropriations reach this threshold, HHS will specify funding levels in future Funding Opportunity Announcements.

(a) These grants are for one or more private entities to provide for the ongoing operation of a 24-hour, national, toll-free telephone hotline to provide information and assistance to adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, family and household members of such victims, and persons affected by the victimization.

(b) Telephone is defined as a communications device that permits two or more callers or users to engage in transmitted analog, digital, short message service (SMS), cellular/wireless, laser, cable/broadband, internet, voice-over internet protocol (IP), video, or other communications, including telephone, smartphone, chat, text, voice recognition, or other technological means which connects callers or users together.

(c) To be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall submit an application that:

(1) Includes a complete description of the applicant's plan for the operation of a national domestic violence telephone hotline, including descriptions of:

(i) The training program for hotline personnel, including technology training to ensure that all persons affiliated with the hotline are able to effectively operate any technological systems used by the hotline, and are familiar with effective communication and equal access requirements, to ensure access for all, including people who are Limited English Proficient and people with disabilities;

(ii) The hiring criteria and qualifications for hotline personnel;

(iii) The methods for the creation, maintenance, and updating of a resource database;

(iv) A plan for publicizing the availability of the hotline;

(v) A plan for providing service such as advocacy and supportive services to Limited English Proficient callers, including service through hotline personnel who are qualified to interpret in non-English languages;

(vi) A plan for facilitating access to the hotline by persons with disabilities, including persons who are deaf or have hearing impairments; and

(vii) A plan for providing assistance and referrals to youth victims of domestic violence and for victims of dating violence who are minors, which may be carried out through a national teen dating violence hotline.

(2) Demonstrates that the applicant has recognized expertise in the area of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence and a record of high quality service to victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, including a demonstration of support from advocacy groups and State Domestic violence Coalitions;

(3) Demonstrates that the applicant has the capacity and the expertise to maintain a domestic violence hotline and a comprehensive database of service providers;

(4) Demonstrates the ability to provide information and referrals for callers, directly connect callers to service providers, and employ crisis interventions meeting the standards of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence providers;

(5) Demonstrates that the applicant has a commitment to diversity and to the provision of services to underserved populations, including to ethnic, racial, and Limited English Proficient individuals, in addition to older individuals and individuals with disabilities;

(6) Demonstrates that the applicant follows comprehensive quality assurance practices; and

(7) Contains such agreements, information, and assurances, including nondisclosure of confidential or private information, in such form, and submitted in such manner as the Funding Opportunity Announcement and related program guidance prescribe.

(d) The entity receiving a grant under this section shall submit a performance report to the Secretary at such time as reasonably required by the Secretary that shall describe the activities that have been carried out with grant funds, contain an evaluation of the effectiveness of such activities, and provide additional information as the Secretary may reasonably require.