The training and services to end violence and abuse against women with disabilities and deaf people grant program (disability program) is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 20122

This Cooperative Agreement award under the "Education, Training, and Enhanced Services to End Violence Against and Abuse of Women with Disabilities" grant program (CFDA 16.529) from the U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women totals $607,500.00 and covers the period from October 1, 2023 to September 30, 2026. The goal is to create sustainable changes that improve the response to individuals with disabilities and deaf individuals who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking.

The award recipient, My Sisters' Place, Inc., a non-profit organization, will collaborate with the New York School for the Deaf to strengthen partnerships, increase organizational capacity to provide accessible services, identify needs, and develop a plan to address those needs. Key activities include building the capacity of partner organizations to conduct trainings on teen dating violence and domestic violence affecting deaf/hard of hearing individuals, strengthening infrastructure for providing accessible services, developing coordination and referral processes, addressing barriers to access and safety, and connecting deaf survivors to clinical mental health services.

The goal of the disability grant program is to create sustainable change within and between organizations that improves the response to individuals with disabilities and deaf individuals who are victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, and to hold perpetrators of such crimes accountable. My sisters place will collaborate with the new york school for the deaf to strengthen partnerships and maintain or enhance a multidisciplinary collaborative team, known as linking communities; increase organizational capacity to provide accessible, safe, and effective services to individuals with disabilities and deaf individuals who are victims of violence and abuse; identify needs within the grantees organization and/or service area; and develop a plan that addresses those identified needs and builds a strong foundation for future work. Linking communities is a project focused on the needs of deaf /HOH people who are survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, dating violence, and/or stalking. During this project period, with the involvement of deaf people, linking communities will: build the capacity of partner organizations to conduct trainings on teen dating violence and domestic violence in the lives of deaf/HOH people. Strengthen infrastructure for providing accessible services to deaf/HOH survivors through improved policies and procedures, effective outreach strategies, and tailored programming. Develop a process for the coordination of services and referrals process between the larger community and victim serving organizations. Develop a process for identifying and removing barriers to access and safety for deaf people within the partner organizations. Strengthen connections between deaf survivors with accessible, evidence-based and trauma-informed clinical mental health services.