The hualapai tribe will establish a dedicated elder abuse advocacy program within the tribal social services department

The Department of Justice Office of Justice Programs Victims of Crime awarded the Hualapai Tribal Council $500,000 on October 1, 2025, under the VOCA Tribal Victim Services Set-Aside Program (CFDA 16.841) to establish a dedicated elder abuse advocacy program.

The Hualapai Tribe will employ two full-time elder advocates within its tribal social services department to provide trauma-informed advocacy, case management, safety planning, and referrals to tribal elders who have experienced financial, medical, emotional, and physical abuse. The advocates will assist elders in navigating medical, legal, and financial systems. The project responds to the tribe's recent revision of its abuse code and aims to strengthen victim services, ensure accountability for offenders, reduce cycles of abuse, and promote safety and dignity for the older population.

The award period runs from October 1, 2025, through September 30, 2028. Performance takes place in Peach Springs, Arizona, where the Hualapai Tribal Council is based. The assistance type is a Project Grant, open only to federally recognized Indian Tribes and their authorized designees under a five percent Crime Victims Fund set-aside for Indian communities to develop and enhance victim services.

The program will employ two full-time elder advocates to provide direct services and support for tribal elders who have experienced financial, medical, emotional, and physical abuse. The tribe has recently revised its abuse code, creating both a legal framework and an urgent demand for expanded victim services. The project advocates will deliver trauma-informed advocacy, case management, safety planning, and referrals, while also assisting elders in navigating medical, legal, and financial systems. By strengthening victim services for elders, this project will ensure accountability for offenders, reduce cycles of abuse, and promote safety and dignity for hualapais older population.