Eligibility for the Justice for Families Supervised Visitation and Safe Exchange Grant Program (Supervised Visitation Program) is governed by statute (34 U.S.C. § 12464). It mandates that states, units of government, courts, Indian tribal government, nonprofit organizations, legal service providers, or, victim sercice providers apply for and maintain the grant and that grantees enter into formal partnerships with both a domestic violence or sexual assault victim service provider and a court.
In addition, victim service providers must: 1) provide direct services to victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking as one of the primary purposes and have a demonstrated history of effective work in this field; 2) address a demonstrated need in their communities by providing services that promote the dignity and self sufficiency of victims, improve their access to resources, and create options for victims seeking safety from perpetrator violence; and 3) not engage in or promote activities that compromise victim safety
Purpose Areas
Pursuant to 34 U.S.C. § 12464 funds under this program must be used for one or more of the purposes below:
Standard Project: Applicants must propose activities under purpose area 1 or 5
Comprehensive Project: Applicant must propose activities under purpose area 1, 5, and 6.
VAWA 2013 includes eight distinct purpose area for the Justice for Families Program. OVW is limiting applicants to addressing all purpose areas with the exception of areas 2 and 7.
Out of Scope Activities
To the activities listed below are out of this program’s scope:
- Research projects (this does not include program assessments conducted only for internal improvement purposes);
- Mediation in cases where sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, or stalking is an issue (except where law mandates);
- Therapeutic visitation;
- Parent education groups;
- Individual, group, and family counseling:
- Telephone and/or virtual monitoring;
- Supervised visitation and exchange services unrelated to domestic violence, dating violence, child sexual abuse, sexual assault, or stalking;
- Legal representation in child protection cases, except for cases in which the legal services are provided to a victim of domestic violence and the proceedings relate to or arise out of the abuse or violence committed against the victim;
- Legal representation in child sexual abuse cases, except for cases in which the legal services are provided to nonoffending parents and relate to family matters, including civil protection orders, custody, and divorce, and in which the other parent is represented by counsel;
- Criminal defense of victims charged with crimes; and
- Support of law reform initiatives, including but not limited to litigation.