§ 14043c-1. Access to justice for youth

(a) Purpose

It is the purpose of this section to encourage cross training and collaboration between the courts, domestic violence and sexual assault service providers, youth organizations and service providers, violence prevention programs, and law enforcement agencies, so that communities can establish and implement policies, procedures, and practices to protect and more comprehensively and effectively serve young victims of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking who are between the ages of 12 and 24, and to engage, where necessary, other entities addressing the safety, health, mental health, social service, housing, and economic needs of young victims of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, including community-based supports such as schools, local health centers, community action groups, and neighborhood coalitions.

(b) Grant authority

(1) In general

The Attorney General, through the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women (in this section referred to as the “Director”), shall make grants to eligible entities to carry out the purposes of this section.

(2) Grant periods

Grants shall be awarded under this section for a period of 2 fiscal years.

(3) Eligible entities

To be eligible for a grant under this section, a grant applicant shall establish a collaboration that—

(A) shall include a victim service provider that has a documented history of effective work concerning domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking and the effect that those forms of abuse have on young people;

(B) shall include a court or law enforcement agency partner; and

(i) batterer intervention programs or sex offender treatment programs with specialized knowledge and experience working with youth offenders;

(ii) community-based youth organizations that deal specifically with the concerns and problems faced by youth, including programs that target teen parents and underserved communities;

(iii) schools or school-based programs designed to provide prevention or intervention services to youth experiencing problems;

(iv) faith-based entities that deal with the concerns and problems faced by youth;

(v) healthcare entities eligible for reimbursement under title XVIII of the Social Security Act [42 U.S.C. 1395 et seq.], including providers that target the special needs of youth;

(vi) education programs on HIV and other sexually transmitted diseases that are designed to target teens;

(vii) Indian Health Service, tribal child protective services, the Bureau of Indian Affairs, or the Federal Bureau of Investigations; ^[1] or

(viii) law enforcement agencies of the Bureau of Indian Affairs providing tribal law enforcement.

An entity that receives a grant under this section shall use the funds made available through the grant for cross-training and collaborative efforts—

(1) addressing domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking, assessing and analyzing currently available services for youth and young adult victims, determining relevant barriers to such services in a particular locality, and developing a community protocol to address such problems collaboratively;

(2) to establish and enhance linkages and collaboration between—

(A) domestic violence and sexual assault service providers; and

(B) where applicable, law enforcement agencies, courts, Federal agencies, and other entities addressing the safety, health, mental health, social service, housing, and economic needs of young victims of abuse, including community-based supports such as schools, local health centers, community action groups, and neighborhood coalitions—

(i) to respond effectively and comprehensively to the varying needs of young victims of abuse;

(ii) to include linguistically, culturally, and community relevant services for underserved populations or linkages to existing services in the community tailored to the needs of underserved populations; and

(iii) to include where appropriate legal assistance, referral services, and parental support;

(3) to educate the staff of courts, domestic violence and sexual assault service providers, and, as applicable, the staff of law enforcement agencies, Indian child welfare agencies, youth organizations, schools, healthcare providers, and other community prevention and intervention programs to responsibly address youth victims and perpetrators of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking;

(4) to identify, assess, and respond appropriately to dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking against teens and young adults and meet the needs of young victims of violence; and

(5) to provide appropriate resources in juvenile court matters to respond to dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking and ensure necessary services dealing with the health and mental health of victims are available.

(d) Grant applications

To be eligible for a grant under this section, the entities that are members of the applicant collaboration described in subsection (b)(3) of this section shall jointly submit an application to the Director at such time, in such manner, and containing such information as the Director may require.

(e) Priority

In awarding grants under this section, the Director shall give priority to entities that have submitted applications in partnership with community organizations and service providers that work primarily with youth, especially teens, and who have demonstrated a commitment to coalition building and cooperative problem solving in dealing with problems of dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking in teen populations.

(f) Distribution

In awarding grants under this section—

(1) not less than 10 percent of funds appropriated under this section in any year shall be available to Indian tribal governments to establish and maintain collaborations involving the appropriate tribal justice and social services departments or domestic violence or sexual assault service providers, the purpose of which is to provide culturally appropriate services to American Indian women or youth;

(2) the Director shall not use more than 2.5 percent of funds appropriated under this section in any year for monitoring and evaluation of grants made available under this section;

(3) the Attorney General of the United States shall not use more than 2.5 percent of funds appropriated under this section in any year for administration of grants made available under this section; and

(4) up to 8 percent of funds appropriated under this section in any year shall be available to provide technical assistance for programs funded under this section.

(g) Dissemination of information

Not later than 12 months after the end of the grant period under this section, the Director shall prepare, submit to Congress, and make widely available, including through electronic means, summaries that contain information on—

(1) the activities implemented by the recipients of the grants awarded under this section; and

(2) related initiatives undertaken by the Director to promote attention to dating violence, domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking and their impact on young victims by—

(A) the staffs of courts;

(B) domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking victim service providers; and

(h) Authorization of appropriations

There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $5,000,000 in each of fiscal years 2007 through 2011.

[1] So in original. Probably should be “Investigation;”.

U.S. Code

§ 14043c-1. Access to justice for youth