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

The Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $350,000 Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program (CFDA 16.589) grant to Crisis Intervention Services, doing business as Sierra Community House, to implement a 24-month victim services project in Nevada's Nevada County. Through this funding, Sierra Community House, in partnership with Gateway Mountain Center and Sierra Nevada Regional Department of Child Support Services, will provide comprehensive services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in rural communities. Key activities include operating a 24/7 helpline, offering safety planning and advocacy, providing legal assistance and counseling, and delivering transportation and emergency shelter support. The project will also focus on prevention education for the general public and training for domestic violence and sexual assault counselors.

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 new rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking grant award, crisis intervention services (DBA sierra community house), in partnership with gateway mountain center and sierra nevada regional department of child support services, will implement a victim services project for the county of nevada in nevada. Specific activities will include: 1) providing direct services, including 24/7 community helpline, safety planning, accompaniment and advocacy with domestic violence emergency response team (dvert) interviews and sexual assault response team (sart) exams; 2) providing legal assistance; 3) providing peer counseling, therapy, certified peer support, and support groups; 4) providing transportation assistance and emergency shelter (including safe house, long-term rental assistance, and emergency motel stays); 5) delivering prevention education to the general public; and 6) delivering training for domestic violence and sexual assault counselors. The timing for performance of this award is 24 months.