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…

The Office on Violence Against Women at the Department of Justice awarded $600,000 to Abused Adult Resource Center Inc. on October 1, 2025, under the Justice Systems Response to Families Program (CFDA 16.021), a three-year project grant running through September 30, 2028.

In partnership with the North Dakota Supreme Court, the recipient will develop a specialized domestic violence court in Burleigh and Morton Counties in the South-Central Judicial District. The award funds abusive partner intervention services and training for judges and court personnel on topics related to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. Work is performed in Bismarck, North Dakota. The Justice Systems Response to Families Program supports court-based and court-related programs, supervised visitation and safe exchange services, training for court-system personnel, civil legal services, and juvenile court resources to improve civil and criminal justice response to families affected by domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, stalking, and child sexual abuse allegations.

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, abused adult resource center, INC., in partnership with the north dakota supreme court, willdevelop a specialized domestic violence court in burleigh and morton counties; enhanceoffender accountability with abusive partner intervention services; and providetraining to judges and court personnel on topics related to domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, in the south-central judicial district in north dakota.