The grants to improve the criminal justice responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking grant program is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 10461-10465 and implemented through…

This $500,000 Project Grant award, provided by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women under the Grants to Encourage Arrest Policies and Enforcement of Protection Orders Program (CFDA 16.590), supports a collaborative effort by the Mountain Comprehensive Care Center, Inc. (MCCC) and local government partners in Magoffin and Martin Counties, Kentucky. Key activities include: 1) Providing legal advocacy and assistance for victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; 2) Funding a deputy to investigate incidents, serve/document protective orders, and follow up in court; 3) Supporting a contractual Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) to provide trauma-informed sexual assault care and evidence collection; and 4) Developing outreach materials and reports to document lessons learned and best practices for a rural service area. This three-year award, effective from October 1, 2024 to September 30, 2027, aims to improve the criminal justice response and enhance victim safety and offender accountability in these underserved Appalachian communities.

The grants to improve the criminal justice responses to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking grant program is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 10461-10465 and implemented through regulations at 28 C.F.R. Part 90, subpart D. The program fosters victim safety and offender accountability in cases of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by encouraging state, local, and tribal governments and courts to work collaboratively with community partners to identify problems and share ideas that will result in effectively responding to these crimes. An integral component of this program is the development, revitalization, or enhancement of a coordinated community response that brings together criminal justice agencies, victim services providers, and community-based organizations that respond to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Grants to improve the criminal justice response (ICJR) project by mountain comprehensive care center, in partnership with magoffin & martin county fiscal courts, magoffin & martin county sheriff's office, turning point DV services, appalachian research & defense fund of KY, implemented in magoffin & martin counties, kentucky, addresses ICJR purpose areas: 5, 8, 11, 17, 18, 19, 21. Additionally, this project addresses OVW priority area 3: services to sexual assault survivors. Specific activities include: 1) legal advocacy and legal assistance for victims; 2) funding a deputy to investigate situations of IPV, serve/ document protective orders, and follow-up in court; 3) support contractualsane to provide trauma-informed sexual assault care including evidence collection; and 4) development of brochuresforoutreach and reports to document lessonslearnedandbestpractices for a rural site.