The office on violence against women (OVW) emerging the office on violence against women (OVW) emerging issues and training and technical assistance call for concept papers (call for concept papers)…

The Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women (OVW) awarded a $600,000 cooperative agreement under the OVW Technical Assistance Initiative (CFDA 16.526) to Aequitas, a nonprofit organization, to implement the "Vital Signs: Enhancing the Healthcare Response to Stalking" project. This 36-month project is designed to enhance healthcare professionals' capacity to identify and respond to stalking victims in healthcare settings. Key activities include convening advisory committees, providing in-person and virtual trainings, responding to technical assistance requests, and developing resources for healthcare providers such as forensic nurses, emergency department personnel, and primary care providers. The project aims to address new and revised programs and issues included in the Violence Against Women Act Reauthorization Act of 2022, as well as other emerging issues in the fields of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking.

The office on violence against women (OVW) emerging the office on violence against women (OVW) emerging issues and training and technical assistance call for concept papers (call for concept papers) invitedinterested eligible entities to propose projects that explore new and emerging issues and training and technical assistance projects addressing the needs and challenges of OVW grantees, subgrantees, and the larger violence against women field. In particular, with the passage of the violence against women act reauthorization act of 2022 (vawa 2022), PUB. L. No. 117-103, DIV. W, 136 stat. 49, 840-962, OVW sought to identify innovative projects and technical assistance that address the new and revised programs and issues included in vawa 2022, as well as other emerging issues in the fields of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, and stalking. See 34 U.S.C. 12291(b)(11) and (16). OVW reviewed the submitted concept papers, selected promising projects in each of the call for concept papers purpose areas, and contacted selected applicants to invite them to submit a full application for their concept paper through the call for concept papers invitation to apply solicitation. With funding through the OVW FY 2023 emerging issues and training and technical assistance call for concept papers, aequitas will implement the vital signs: enhancing the healthcare response to stalking project (vital signs). Vital signs will enhance healthcare professionals (hcps) capacity to better identify and respond to stalking victims in healthcare settings, recognizing the emotional and physical risks stalking poses to patients. Vital signs will focus on training and technical assistance and resources for forensic nurses, emergency department personnel, sexual health/pre-natal care providers, primary care providers, and other hcps as identified. During the course of the project period, aequitas will: 1) convene the vital signs healthcare advisory committee to provide guidance, insight, and feedback on the project; 2) form a lived experience council to ensure the project and its deliverables are survivor-centered; 3) provide in-person and virtual trainings; 4) respond to technical assistance requests from healthcare providers; 5) convene an underserved populations consortium biannually to solicit guidance and insight in the development of deliverables for the project; and 6) develop a webpage for the project on the stalking prevention, awareness, and resource center (sparc) website to post resources, trainings, and other materials developed through this project. This award supports purpose area 1: emerging issues. The timing for performance of this award is 36 months for $600,000, all of which will be awarded through OVW technical assistance funding.