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 Hmong / American Friendship Association, Inc. was awarded a $400,000 Project Grant by the U.S. Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women under the Grants to Enhance Culturally Specific Services for Victims of Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Program (CFDA 16.016). This three-year grant, effective October 1, 2024, supports the organization's delivery of culturally and linguistically specific services to the Southeast Asian community in Milwaukee County, Wisconsin. Key activities include training for government and criminal justice agencies, crisis counseling, emergency assistance, support groups, and art therapy. The grant enables the organization to maintain and replicate its existing community-based programs, as well as develop innovative strategies to enhance access to services for victims facing obstacles to traditional support systems.

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, the hmong/american friendship association will implement a project addressing multiple purpose areas including the following: purpose area 1 working with state and local governments and social service agencies to develop and enhance effective strategies to provide culturally specific services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; purpose area 4 enhancing traditional services to victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking through the leadership of culturally specific programs; and purpose area 5 working in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies highlighting culturally specific issues and resources for the southeast asian community in milwaukee county, wisconsin. Specific activities will include: 1) training for government and criminal justice agencies; 2) crisis counseling; 3) emergency assistance; 4) support groups; and 5) art therapy.