The grants to support families in the justice system program (referred to as the justice for families program) was authorized in the violence against women reauthorization act of 2013 to improve the…

This Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women (CFDA 16.021 - Justice Systems Response to Families Program) provides $600,000 over a 3-year period starting October 1, 2024 to the Bureau of Women's Affairs in Guam. The funding will support the following key products and services:

1. Supervised visitation and safe exchange services for families with a history of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. This includes a 1.0 FTE Visitation/Exchange Monitor and 0.15 FTE Assistant Director to provide these services.

2. Court-based services and programs for victims, including a 1.0 FTE Resource Coordinator to deliver victim assistance through the local court system.

3. A 1.0 FTE Program Coordinator to oversee the overall project implementation.

The award aims to enhance the capacity of the civil and criminal justice system in Guam to respond effectively to families affected by the targeted crimes of domestic/dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. It will be implemented through a partnership between the Bureau of Women's Affairs, Erica's House Inc., the Judiciary of Guam, and Victim Advocates Reaching Out.

The grants to support families in the justice system program (referred to as the justice for families program) was authorized in the violence against women reauthorization act of 2013 to improve the response of the civil and criminal justice system to families with a history of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, or in cases involving allegations of child sexual abuse. The program supports the following activities for improving the capacity of courts and communities to respond to families affected by the targeted crimes: court-based and court-related programs; supervised visitation and safe exchange by and between parents; training for people who work with families in the court system; civil legal services; and the provision of resources in juvenile court matters. Projects supported by the justice for families program are those that focus on keeping victims and their children safe from further abuse and holding offenders accountable. Through this new justice for families project, the guam governors community outreach federal programs office, in partnership with ericas house INC, the judiciary of guam, and victim advocates reaching out, will implement a standard project addressing the following purpose areas: 1) provide supervised visitation and safe exchange services; and 5) court and court-based programs and services, for the U.S. Territory of guam. Specific activities will include: 1) supporting a 1.0 FTE program coordinator to oversee project implementation; 2) a 1.0 FTE visitation/ exchange monitor and 0.15 assistant director to provide supervised visitation and safe exchanges; and 3) a 1.0 FTE resource coordinator to provide court-based services for victims.