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 has awarded a $399,870 Culturally and Linguistically Specific Services Program (CFDA 16.016) grant to Family Care Connection, a non-profit organization located in Dallas, Texas. The 3-year project will enhance culturally specific services for African American/Black victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in the southern sectors of Dallas. Specific activities will include crisis counseling, therapy, advocacy, education on domestic abuse dynamics, linking victims to community resources, safety assessment and planning, community trainings on victim barriers and warning signs, and victim support groups. The project aims to increase the capacity of the local community to provide culturally relevant resources and support, as well as enhance traditional victim services through the leadership of this culturally specific program.

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, family care connection will implement a project addressing the following purpose areas: increasing communities capacity to provide culturally specific resources and support for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking crimes and their families; and enhancing traditional services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking through the leadership of culturally specific programs offering services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The circle of healing culturally specific services project will serve african american/black individuals within the southern sectors of dallas, texas. Specific activities will include: crisis counseling, therapy, advocacy, education on the dynamics of domestic abuse, linking victims to community resources, safety assessment and safety planning, community trainings on victim barriers to services and red flags of domestic/dating violence, and victim support groups.