The grants for outreach and services to underserved populations (underserved program) was statutorily created in the violence against women reauthorization act of 2013 to develop and implement…

The U.S. Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $600,000 Project Grant under the Grants for Outreach and Services to Underserved Populations (CFDA 16.889) program to the Kansas Coalition Against Sexual & Domestic Violence (KCSDV). The grant will fund a 3-year project (10/1/2023 - 9/30/2026) focused on improving outreach, services, and responses for adult and youth survivors with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who have experienced domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Key activities include providing training, technical assistance, and resources to increase the capacity of victim service providers, disability organizations, and other professionals to deliver accessible, trauma-informed, and culturally relevant services for this underserved population. KCSDV will also work to enhance community outreach, prevention, and intervention strategies in partnership with the I/DD community. The project includes a sub-award to SACKA, an organization focused on promoting empowerment and independence for adults with developmental disabilities, to support the program's disability-focused efforts.

The grants for outreach and services to underserved populations (underserved program) was statutorily created in the violence against women reauthorization act of 2013 to develop and implement outreach strategies targeted at adult or youth victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in underserved populations, and to provide victim services to meet the needs of such populations. Grant funds may be used to: 1) work with federal, state, tribal, territorial, and local governments, agencies, and organizations to develop or enhance population specific victim services; 2) strengthen the capacity of underserved populations to provide population specific victim services; 3) strengthen the capacity of traditional victim service providers to provide population specific victim services; 4) strengthen the effectiveness of criminal and civil justice interventions by providing training for law enforcement, prosecutors, judges, and other court personnel on domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in underserved populations; 5) work in cooperation with an underserved population to develop and implement outreach, education, prevention, and intervention strategies that highlight available resources and the specific issues faced by victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking from underserved populations; or (6) provide population-specific training for social and human services providers on domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking in underserved populations. The vision of the kansas believe outreach to survivors project is that adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD) who have experienced domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking, will be believed and supported to make their own choices. The project will focus on creating sustainable change by increasing organizational capacity within victim service providers, disability providers and other allied professionals to provide accessible, safe, and supportive services and improve responses to survivors with I/DD. This will be done by providing training, technical assistance, and access to resources on best practices to provide effective services that are culturally relevant, trauma-informed, and responsive. Activities include training and technical assistance to educate community partners, social and human service providers, and criminal justice professionals to improve their capacity to respond and provide services to survivors with I/DD. This includes training on best practices for disability service providers, criminal justice system professionals, community partners and advocacy programs on responding to people with I/DD who have experienced domestic violence, dating violence, sexual violence, or stalking.