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 Crisis Intervention Services (doing business as Sierra Community House) $750,000 under the Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program (CFDA 16.589) on October 1, 2025. This is a continuation award to support victim services and safety initiatives in rural communities through October 1, 2026, and performance extends through September 30, 2028, with place of performance in Incline Village, Nevada.

The award funds enhanced safety through collaborative law enforcement efforts, victim services including counseling and legal assistance, community education, and sexual assault forensic examination programs. Sierra Community House serves survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking in geographically isolated rural areas of the North Lake Tahoe and Truckee regions across Nevada and California. The organization delivers trauma-informed services designed to help vulnerable populations achieve safety and stability while addressing challenges specific to remote rural communities. The award is assistance type Project Grant, obligating the full $750,000.

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 continuation OVW rural program project, crisis intervention services (DBA sierra community house), in partnership with the washoe county child advocacy center (CAC), will implement the north lake tahoe / truckee rural victim services program. This victim service project addresses the following purpose areas: 2 and 3 for nevada, placer, and EL dorado counties. Specific activities will include: 1) providing 24/7 crisis intervention, emergency shelter, legal assistance, transportation support, therapy, support groups, peer counseling, certified peer support, and financial assistance; and 2) delivering school based and community prevention and response through education delivered to the public and annual domestic violence and sexual assault training to staff and counselors.