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 $700,000 to Utah Navajo Health System Inc. on October 1, 2025, under the Rural Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Assistance Program (CFDA 16.589). The award funds victim services addressing domestic violence, sexual assault, dating violence, and stalking in rural communities in San Juan County, Utah, and geographically isolated areas of the Navajo Nation. Performance runs through September 30, 2028, with work performed in Montezuma Creek, Utah.

Utah Navajo Health System Inc., a Native American-owned nonprofit healthcare provider, will deliver the project in partnership with Sexual Assault Services of Northwest New Mexico. The recipient operates health centers across the Utah Strip of the Navajo Nation and serves populations facing substantial health disparities in one of the lower 48 states' most remote regions.

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, utah navajo health system, INC., in partnership with sexual assault services of northwest new mexico, will implement the victim advocacy program. This victim service project addresses the following purpose areas: 1, 2, and 3 for navajo nation, which consists of SAN juan county, NM, mckinley county, NM, LOS alamos county, NM, ciobla county, NM, RIO ariba county, NM, SAN juan county, UT, and apache county, AZ. Specific activities will include: 1) expanding and sustaining trauma-informed victim advocacy; 2) strengthening access to sexual assault forensic exams; 3) delivering flexible financial assistance to support safety and stability; 4) enhancing mobile services and transportation; and 5) improving interagency coordination and sexual assault response protocols.