The improving criminal justice responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking grant program is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 10461-10465 and implemented through regulations at…

The Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $500,000 Project Grant under the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (CFDA 16.590) to The Heights Ellis County Family Resources Inc. This grant, effective October 1, 2023 through September 30, 2027, will enable the grantee and its project partners to improve the criminal justice system response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Ellis County, Texas. Key activities include:

1. Having an intake navigator serve at least 350 clients annually.
2. Having an overall services advocate serve at least 100 clients annually in the 24-bed, 24-hour shelter.
3. Having a sexual assault nurse examiner perform approximately 50 medical forensic exams annually at the Family Justice Center.

The grant aims to enhance victim safety, promote offender accountability, and foster collaboration between criminal justice agencies and community organizations in Ellis County.

The improving criminal justice responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking grant program is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 10461-10465 and implemented through regulations at 28 C.F.R. Part 90, subpart d. The program fosters victim safety and offender accountability in cases of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by encouraging state, local, and tribal governments and courts to work collaboratively with community partners to identify problems and share ideas that will result in effectively responding to these crimes. An integral component of this program is the development, revitalization, or enhancement of a coordinated community response that brings together criminal justice agencies, victim services providers, and community-based organizations that respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The grantee, in collaboration with its project partners, will use this icjr award to improve their jurisdiction's criminal justice system response to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by implementing activities that focus on victim safety and offender accountability and create sustainable project activities. The project will: 1) identify a project coordinator to lead the project and any additional members of the coordinated community response team; 2) complete community assessments to inform the development of a strategic plan; 3) identify evidence-informed practices or tools that may be implemented at the agency and community level; 4) participate in mandated OVW training and technical assistance, including utilizing OVW culturally specific and underserved TTA providers. Through this new grants to improve the criminal justice response project, the heights of ellis county family resources, in partnership with ellis county, will implement a project addressing the following purpose areas: 10 and 17. The project will be implemented throughout ellis county. Specific activities will include: 1) having an intake navigator serve at least 350 clients each year; 2) have the overall services advocate serve at least 100 clients each year in the 24-bed, 24-hour shelter located in ellis county; and 3) have a sexual assault nurse examiner perform approximately 50 medical forensic exams each year at the family justice center in ellis county.