Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2021

Bill: 117-s-1275
Sponsor: Sen. Casey, Robert P., Jr. [D-PA]
Introduced: 2021-04-21 in the Senate
Policy area: Families
Subjects: Community life and organization
Crime prevention
Crime victims
Domestic violence and child abuse
Family services
Health programs administration and funding
Homelessness and emergency shelter

Summary:
action_date: 2021-04-21
text: 

Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 20

21

 
 This bill modifies, expands, and reauthorizes through FY2026 the Family Violence and Prevention Services program, which funds emergency shelters and supports related assistance for victims of domestic violence.
 
Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants and enter cooperative agreements with state and tribal domestic violence coalitions, and community-based organizations, to support prevention services. Depending on the type of organization, grant recipients must use funding to (1) provide technical assistance; (2) promote evidence-informed prevention strategies; (3) implement coordinated, community responses to reduce risk factors for family violence; and (4) develop prevention partnership strategies, among other uses.
 
Further, HHS must award specified grants to organizations that provide population-specific services in underserved communities and to community-based organizations that provide culturally specific domestic violence services to racial and ethnic minority groups. The bill also establishes a grants program for tribal domestic violence coalitions to support the provision of local, tribal, family domestic or dating violence services and requires HHS to award a grant for the administration of a hotline dedicated to serving Indians affected by domestic violence.
 
 In addition, the bill modifies certain program-wide definitions; changes the requirements for specified grant applications, eligibility criteria, and use of funds; and makes other technical revisions.

action_date: 2021-07-27
text: 

Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 20

21

 
 This bill modifies, expands, and reauthorizes through FY2026 the Family Violence and Prevention Services program, which funds emergency shelters and supports related assistance for victims of domestic violence.
 
Specifically, the bill requires the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to award grants and enter cooperative agreements with state and tribal domestic violence coalitions, and community-based organizations, to support prevention services. Depending on the type of organization, grant recipients must use funding to (1) provide technical assistance; (2) promote evidence-informed prevention strategies; and (3) implement coordinated, community responses to reduce risk factors for family violence.
 
Further, HHS must award specified grants to organizations that provide population-specific services in underserved communities and to community-based organizations that provide culturally specific domestic violence services to racial and ethnic minority groups.
 
 In addition, the bill modifies certain program-wide definitions and makes other technical revisions.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2021-07-27
text: Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 108.
action_date: 2021-07-27
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Murray with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2021-07-27
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Reported by Senator Murray with an amendment in the nature of a substitute. Without written report.
action_date: 2021-07-21
text: Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. Ordered to be reported with an amendment in the nature of a substitute favorably.
action_date: 2021-04-21
text: Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
action_date: 2021-04-21
text: Introduced in Senate