The rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking program (rural program) is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 12341

Rural program funds are used to support programs that: 1) identify, assess, and appropriately respond to child, youth, and adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in rural communities; 2) establish and expand victim services in rural communities to child, youth, and adult victims; 3) increase the safety and well-being of women and children in rural communities, by (a) dealing directly and immediately with domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking; and (b) creating and implementing strategies to increase awareness and prevent these crimes; and 4) develop, expand, implement, and improve the quality of sexual assault forensic medical examination or sexual assault nurse examiner programs. Grantees must use at least one of the following strategies in implementing their projects: 1) implement, expand, and establish cooperative efforts and projects among law enforcement officers, prosecutors, victim service providers, and other related parties to investigate and prosecute incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; 2) provide treatment, counseling, advocacy, legal assistance, and other long-term and short-term victim and population specific services to adult and minor victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in rural communities; 3) work in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies directed toward such issues; 4) develop, enlarge, or strengthen programs addressing sexual assault; and 5) develop programs and strategies that focus on the specific needs of victims of who reside in remote rural and geographically isolated areas. With this continuation rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking grant award, the domestic abuse sexual assault crisis center (DBA the bridge), in partnership with hope crisis center, project response, and voices of hope, will implement a victim services project for the nebraska counties of johnson, nemaha, otoe, pawnee, richardson gage, york, seward, saline, jefferson, fillmore, thayer, burt, cuming, dodge, saunders, washington and lancaster. Specific activities will include: 1) strengthening southeast nebraska training, response, and outreach collaborative (sentroc) through quarterly meetings to oversee goal progress, facilitate grant reporting, share training opportunities, and enhance communication within the region; 2) hosting an annual in-person networking/training event for sentroc partners; 3) providing education and outreach opportunities to students and community members including school-based prevention and education programming, awareness-raising events, community seminars, information/social media campaigns, local meetings, focus groups, etc.; 4) providing skills-based training opportunities to first responders; 5) providing 24-hour hotline support, maintaining satellite offices and adequate staffing, providing outreach in isolated communities, and traveling to meet rural clients as necessary; 6) maintaining bilingual services and provide language-inclusive outreach opportunities to people with limited english proficiency; 7) providing case management, safety planning, and confidential emergency services; and 8) providing financial aid, such as housing assistance, food, transportation, shelter, and basic necessities. The timing for performance of this award is 24 months.