The grants to enhance culturally specific services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking program is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 20124

The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $450,000 Project Grant under the Culturally and Linguistically Specific Services Program (CFDA 16.016) to Ironbound Community Corporation (ICC) to provide culturally specific services for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Newark, NJ. The 3-year project will enhance traditional victim services through the leadership of ICC's culturally specific programs, focusing on the Black and Latino communities in the Ironbound section of Newark. Key services will include outreach, assessment, individualized plans, connection to therapy and mental health services, support groups, crisis counseling, case management, and referrals to wraparound supports such as job readiness, legal services, and housing assistance. The project will also work to develop culturally relevant education and prevention strategies within the community.

This program supports the maintenance and replication of existing successful community-based programs providing culturally specific services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, as well as the development of innovative culturally specific strategies to enhance access to services and resources for victims who face obstacles to using more traditional programs. Culturally specific services means community-based services that include culturally relevant and linguistically specific services and resources to culturally specific communities which are statutorily defined as american indians (including alaska natives, eskimos, and aleuts); asian americans; native hawaiians and other pacific islanders; blacks; and hispanics. Projects must address at least one of the programs statutory purpose areas. Through this new culturally specific services program project, ironbound community corporation (ICC) will implement a project addressing the following purpose areas: increase communities capacity to provide culturally specific resources and support for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking crimes and their families; enhance traditional services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking through the leadership of culturally specific programs; work in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies highlighting culturally specific issues and resources; provide culturally specific programs for children exposed to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; and provide culturally specific resources and services that address the safety, economic, housing, and workplace needs of victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking, including emergency assistance. The project will also address the following priority area:priority area 1 - advancing racial equity. ICC will provide culturally specific services to black and latino residents within the ironbound section of newark, new jersey. Specific activities will include: outreach, intake and assessment of survivors, development of individualized plans, connection to services such as therapy and mental health services, support groups, crisis counseling, ongoing case management, internal and external referrals, and connection to wrap-around supports such as job readiness and skill-building, citizenship test preparation classes, english as a second language workshops, immigrant justice services, parenting courses, economic empowerment, trauma-informed yoga and meditation, housing support, legal services, and case management.