The tribal sexual assault services program (TSASP), which is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 12511(E), is one of five grant programs funded within the sexual assault services program (SASP)

The Penobscot Indian Nation was awarded a $675,000 Project Grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office on Violence Against Women under the Tribal Sexual Assault Services Program (CFDA 16.024). This 3-year grant will be used to strengthen and expand the tribe's existing programming to increase their capacity to respond to sexual assault and enhance services for Native American women who are victims of sexual assault. The Penobscot Nation, which has over 2,300 enrolled members and 600 residents on the Indian Island reservation, will utilize the funding to create, maintain, and expand sustainable sexual assault intervention, advocacy, accompaniment, and support services within the tribal community.

SASP was created by the violence against women and department of justice reauthorization act of 2005 (vawa 2005) and is the first federal funding stream dedicated solely to the provision of direct intervention and related assistance for victims of sexual assault. Overall, the purpose of SASP is to provide intervention, advocacy, accompaniment (e.g., accompanying victims to court, medical facilities, police departments), support services, and related assistance for adult, youth, and child victims of sexual assault, non-offending family and household members of victims, and those collaterally affected by the sexual assault. TSASP supports projects to create, maintain, and expand sustainable sexual assault services provided by tribes, tribal organizations, and nonprofit tribal organizations within indian country and alaska native villages. With this funding, the penobscot nation currently has 2,365 enrolled members (2023 tribal census). Over 1,400 tribal members live in maine and are within serviceable distance, and many visit the reservation regularly. There are 425 tribal members living on the reservation at indian island, which is located in penobscot county. Indian island has a total population of 571 including non-enrolled penobscots (1%), other indian residents (3%) and non- indian residents (19%). Indian island and is part of the greater old town area within a 20-mile radius of bangor, me, AI/an make up 0.9% of the countys population. Penobscot county is a designated health professional shortage area (HPSA) for primary care, mental health and dental services, an indication of the depth of health care needs in the area. Through TSASP funding the proposed project will strengthen and expand existing programming in meeting needs by: 1. Increasing tribal capacity to response to sexual assault; and 2. To enhance services to indian women victimized. This awardwill be a three-year project.