The grants to support families in the justice system program (referred to as the justice for families program) was authorized in the violence against women reauthorization act of 2013 to improve the…

The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $600,000 Project Grant under the Justice Systems Response to Families Program (CFDA 16.021) to Child and Family Services of Northwestern Michigan, Inc. (CFSNM) and its partners. Through this 3-year grant, the project will:

1. Establish a supervised visitation and safe exchange center in Emmet County, Michigan by employing a part-time site coordinator and part-time monitors.

2. Hire contract attorneys to provide civil legal services to survivors of domestic violence in rural northern Michigan, primarily in Charlevoix, Cheboygan, and Emmet counties.

3. Hire a legal advocate to provide support and legal advocacy to survivors engaged with the civil legal system.

The grant aims to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice systems to families affected by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, or in cases involving child sexual abuse. The award will enable CFSNM and its partners to deliver critical court-based, court-related, and civil legal services to protect victims and their children while holding offenders accountable.

The grants to support families in the justice system program (referred to as the justice for families program) was authorized in the violence against women reauthorization act of 2013 to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice system to families with a history of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, or in cases involving allegations of child sexual abuse. The program supports the following activities for improving the capacity of courts and communities to respond to families affected by the targeted crimes: court-based and court-related programs; supervised visitation and safe exchange by and between parents; training for people who work with families in the court system; civil legal services; and the provision of resources in juvenile court matters. Projects supported by the justice for families program are those that focus on keeping victims and their children safe from further abuse and holding offenders accountable. Through this new justice for families project, the child & family services of northwestern michigan, INC. (CFSNM), in partnership with womens resource center of northern michigan (WRCNM), legal services of northern michigan (LSNM), the 57TH circuit court friend of the court, the 33RD circuit court friend of the court, and the 53RD circuit court friend of the court, will implement a standard project addressing the following purpose areas: 1) supervised visitation and safe exchange; and 6) civil legal assistance for rural northern michigan, primarily charlevoix, cheboygan, and emmet counties. Specific activities will include: 1) establishing a supervised visitation and exchange center in emmet county by employing a part-time site coordinator and part-time monitors; 2) hiring contract attorneys to provide legal services to survivors of domestic violence; and 3) hiring a legal advocate to provide support and legal advocacy to survivors who are engaged with the civil legal system.