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 U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women awarded a $400,000 Culturally and Linguistically Specific Services Program (CFDA 16.016) grant to Jenesse Center, Inc., a minority-owned non-profit domestic violence organization in Los Angeles, CA. Through this 3-year project grant, Jenesse Center will provide culturally relevant emergency shelter, counseling, legal advocacy, and prevention services to African American/Black victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking and their families, including those with mental health needs, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, and persons with limited English proficiency. Key activities will include case management, life skills training, assistance obtaining restraining orders, mental health counseling, and community-focused prevention efforts tailored for the target population. The grant aims to enhance access to resources and support for underserved communities of color facing cultural or linguistic barriers to traditional domestic violence programs.

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 continuation culturally specific services program project, jenesse center, INC., 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; provide culturally specific programs for children exposed to sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence, 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. This project will serve african american/black victims of domestic violence and their children including those who also present with mental health issues due to trauma, individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, and persons with limited english proficiency in south LOS angeles, california. Specific activities will include: access to shelter (as applicable) and supportive services (case management, life skills and vocational activities, assistance with obtaining restraining orders, mental health counseling, individual and group counseling, childcare, children and youth counseling), crisis intervention, advocacy, and community-focused prevention.