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 $600,000 federal Project Grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women under the Justice Systems Response to Families Program (CFDA 16.021) will support the Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault Services Of Whatcom County in Bellingham, WA. The grant, awarded in October 2024, will fund the following key activities over a 3-year period:

1. Supporting a 0.5 FTE bilingual civil legal advocate
2. Funding a 1.5 FTE project manager to oversee implementation
3. Contracting with attorneys to provide civil legal services
4. Engaging subject matter experts to provide training and consultation focused on improving accessibility within the courts

These efforts aim to enhance the civil and criminal justice system's response to families affected by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in Whatcom County. The grant supports court-based and court-related programs, supervised visitation and safe exchange services, training for court personnel, and the provision of civil legal assistance to victims and their children.

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 domestic violence and sexual assault services of whatcom county, in partnership with the bellingham-whatcom county commission on sexual and domestic violence, whatcom county superior court clerks office, whatcom county district court administration, and law advocates, will implement a standard project addressing the following purpose areas: 3) training for court-based and court-related personnel; 5) court and court-based programs and services; 6) civil legal assistance; and 8) training within the civil justice system in whatcom county, washington. This project will address priority area 2: increase access to justice. Specific activities will include: 1) supporting a .50 FTE bilingual civil legal advocate; 2) funding a 1.50 FTE project manager to provide overall implementation; 3) supporting contract attorneys to provide civil legal services; and 4) contracting with subject matter experts to provide training and consultation focused on improving accessibility within the courts.