The rural domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking program (rural program) is authorized by 34 U.S.C. 12341

The Department of Justice Office on Violence Against Women awarded Response: Help For Survivors Of Domestic Violence And Sexual Assault $689,208 on October 1, 2025, under the Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program (CFDA 16.589) to implement the Survivor Support Services Project in partnership with Aspen Family Connections.

The award funds victim identification, assessment, and response services for child, youth, and adult survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in rural Colorado. Response will expand victim services including counseling and legal assistance, increase safety and well-being of women and children through direct intervention and crime prevention initiatives, and develop or strengthen sexual assault response programs. The partnership with Aspen Family Connections supports delivery of these services.

Response, a nonprofit organization based in Basalt, Colorado, serves rural communities with a particular focus on the Roaring Fork Valley region. The period of performance runs through September 30, 2028. Work is performed in Basalt, Colorado.

Rural program funds are used to support programs that: 1) identify, assess, and appropriately respond to child, youth, and adult victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in rural communities; 2) establish and expand victim services in rural communities to child, youth, and adult victims; 3) increase the safety and well-being of women and children in rural communities, by (a) dealing directly and immediately with domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking; and (B) creating and implementing strategies to increase awareness and prevent these crimes; and 4) develop, expand, implement, and improve the quality of sexual assault forensic medical examination or sexual assault nurse examiner programs. Grantees must use at least one of the following strategies in implementing their projects: 1) implement, expand, and establish cooperative efforts and projects among law enforcement officers, prosecutors, victim service providers, and other related parties to investigate and prosecute incidents of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking; 2) provide treatment, counseling, advocacy, legal assistance, and other long-term and short-term victim and population specific services to adult and minor victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in rural communities; 3) work in cooperation with the community to develop education and prevention strategies directed toward such issues; 4) develop, enlarge, or strengthen programs addressing sexual assault; and 5) develop programs and strategies that focus on the specific needs of victims of who reside in remote rural and geographically isolated areas. Through this new OVW rural program project, response, in partnership with aspen family connections, will implement the survivor support services project. This victim service and outreach project addresses the following purpose areas: 1, 2, and 3 for pitkin, eagle and garfield counties in colorado. Specific activities will include:1) facilitating a community response team to improve collaborative efforts in serving survivors; 2) ensuring that all local law enforcement agencies are knowledgeable about response and services for survivors;3) providing assistance for survivors including housing, financial and civil legal assistance; 4) providing socio-emotional supports for survivors, particularly those recovering from sexual assault; 5) providing crisis intervention for survivors; 6) increasing outreach and education efforts around sexual assault, domestic violence, teen dating violence and stalking; and 7) strengthening awareness with partner organizations and community stakeholders to increase awareness of services for and prevention of sexual assault.