Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA)

Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA)

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Updated July 15, 2024
Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA)
History of FVPSA
Overview of FVPSA
Throughout much of the 20th century, domestic violence
FVPSA supports temporary shelter and services for
remained a hidden problem. Survivors (or victims) were
survivors, as well as children exposed to domestic and teen
hesitant to seek help, primarily because of fear of retaliation
dating violence. The law currently authorizes three major
by their partners and concerns about leaving their
activities: domestic violence shelters, victim services, and
communities. In the 1960s and 1970s, shelters and services
program support; the National Domestic Violence Hotline;
for survivors became more widely available. In 1984, the
and the Domestic Violence Prevention Enhancement and
Department of Justice (DOJ) issued a report that examined
Leadership Through Alliances (DELTA) program. The U.S.
the scope and impact of domestic violence in the United
Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS’) Family
States, and recommended improvements in law
and Youth Services Bureau (FYSB) administers funding for
enforcement and community responses to offenses that
the hotline and domestic violence shelters and services. The
were previously considered “family matters.” As a result of
CDC, also within HHS, administers DELTA. The statute
efforts by advocates and DOJ, Congress held a series of
authorized funding for these activities through FY2015;
hearings on domestic violence. In response, the Family
however, subsequent appropriations acts have continued to
Violence Prevention and Services Act was enacted as part
provide funding. Table 1 shows recent FVPSA funding.
of 1984 amendments to the Child Abuse Prevention and
Table 1. FVPSA Funding, FY2020-FY2024 (dollars in
Treatment Act (CAPTA; P.L. 98-457).
millions)
While typically reauthorized with CAPTA, FVPSA has
twice been amended alongside the Violence Against

FY20a
FY21b
FY22
FY23
FY24
Women Act (VAWA), first enacted in 1994. FVPSA and
Shelter &
$220.0
$380.5
$198.0
$250.0
$240.0
VAWA are the primary vehicles for federal support to
Services
prevent and respond to domestic violence. FVPSA is
Hotline
$14.0
$15.0
$15.5
$20.5
$20.5
focused on prevention and services for survivors, while
VAWA’s focus is on both services for victims and the
DELTA
$7.1
$5.5
$5.5
$7.5
$7.5
criminal justice response to domestic violence, sexual
assault, stalking, and dating violence.
Total
$241.1
$401.0
$219.0
$278.0
$268.0
Scope of the Issue
Source: CRS, based on enacted laws and committee reports.
Note: Budget authority after transfers.
FVPSA primarily addresses domestic violence and dating
violence. Both can include acts of physical, psychological,
a. FY2020 includes additional funding for shelter, services, and
and sexual violence, as well as stalking. Domestic violence,
support and the hotline from the CARES Act (P.L. 116-136) and
sometimes referred to as family violence, can involve
additional funding for DELTA from P.L. 116-123.
current or former spouses, individuals who share children in
b. FY2021 includes additional funding for shelter, services, and
common, cohabiting partners, or other intimate partners.
support and the hotline from the American Rescue Plan Act
Dating violence can occur between individuals who have a
(ARPA; P.L. 117-2). It does not include ARPA funding for two
romantic relationship, including teenagers. Studies do not
temporary FVPSA grant programs to support cultural y specific
indicate a primary reason why domestic and dating violence
populations and survivors of sexual assault.
are perpetrated, in part because of the difficulty measuring
social conditions that can influence such violence. They do,
National Domestic Violence Hotline
however, identify two underlying factors: the unequal
Since 1996, HHS has competitively awarded a cooperative
position of women and the normalization of violence, both
agreement to one organization to operate the National
in society and in some relationships.
Domestic Violence Hotline. The hotline provides
information and assistance to adult and youth victims of
Estimating the number of individuals involved in intimate
domestic violence, family and household members of
partner violence is complicated by varying definitions of
victims, and others affected by victimization. This includes
the term and differing methodologies for collecting data. A
support concerning domestic violence, dating violence,
study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
children exposed to domestic violence, intervention
(CDC) examined the prevalence of intimate partner
programs for abusive partners, and related topics. As
violence in 2016-2017. Nearly half (47%) of women and
required under FVPSA, the national hotline carries out
44% of men in America reported that they had experienced
multiple activities. It employs, trains, and supervises
sexual violence, physical violence, and/or stalking by an
personnel to answer incoming calls; provides counseling
intimate partner in their lifetime. About 7% of women and
and referral services to victims and others; and directly
men reported that they had experienced intimate partner
connects callers to service providers in local communities.
violence in the 12 months prior to the survey (2015-2016).
In FY2022, the hotline received approximately 37,400
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Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA)
monthly calls—up from 25,000 calls in FY2021—with a
provide shelter and related expenses, including the physical
response rate of 42%. It also received 13,400 monthly
space in which survivors reside and the expenses of running
online chats with a response rate of 76%.
shelter facilities. No less than 25% of subgrant funding is to
be used for supportive services and prevention services
The hotline maintains a database of domestic violence
(e.g., assisting in the development of safety plans, providing
service providers throughout the United States, including
counseling and support groups, and services for children).
information on the availability of shelter and services.
Subgrantees that receive funding must provide a nonfederal
Further, it provides assistance to meet the needs of certain
match of not less than $1 for every $5 of federal funding,
populations, including individuals with disabilities and
directly from the state or through donations from public or
underserved groups. Since 2007, the hotline has operated
private entities. States have two years to spend funds. States
loveisrespect, the National Dating Abuse Hotline for youth
and subgrantees may not impose income eligibility
victims of dating violence. The National Hotline has also
collaborated with the National Indigenous Women’s
requirements on recipients of services. Generally, the

requirements that apply to states also apply to tribes.
Resource Center, a nonprofit organization, to develop and
operate the StrongHearts Native Helpline for Native
State Domestic Violence Coalitions (SDVCs)
American survivors of domestic abuse.
SDVCs are statewide nongovernmental, nonprofit domestic
Shelters, Services, and Program Support violence organizations whose memberships are made up of
domestic violence service providers in the state. Each state
Appropriations for shelters, victim services, and program
has one SDVC, which is designated by HHS. Funding is
support provide funding for multiple activities: grants for
divided evenly between awardees. SDVCs must use
states and territories, grants to Indian tribes, state domestic
FVPSA funding for specific activities, such as working
violence coalitions (SDVCs), training and technical
with local programs to respond to domestic violence,
assistance centers, specialized services for abused parents
providing training and technical assistance, and planning
and their children, and administrative support provided by
and monitoring the distribution of subgrants within states.
HHS. Figure 1 shows allocations for FY2023.
Resource Centers
Figure 1. FY2023 Allocations for Shelter, Services,
and Support (dollars in millions)
HHS administers grants for 15 resource centers. The
purpose of these centers is to provide information, research,
training, and technical assistance on domestic violence
topics. This support is provided by nonprofit organizations
and other entities to local shelters and programs, survivors,
and other stakeholders. The National Resource Center on
Domestic Violence and the National Indigenous Women’s
Resource Center are designated as national resource
centers, meaning they have a broader scope and more
funding. Other centers focus on selected populations (e.g.,
Latino communities, Alaska Native communities) and
specific topics (e.g., mental health, housing).
Specialized Services for Parents and Children
If annual appropriations for shelter and services exceed
$130 million, HHS must reserve a quarter of the funds that
exceed this amount for services to children exposed to
domestic violence and their nonabusing parents. This

requirement was triggered in FY2010 and each of FY2014-
Source: CRS based on FY2025 HHS ACF Congressional Justification.
FY2024. In recent years, HHS has awarded funds to local
Grants to States, Territories, and Tribes
organizations in 26 states to address trauma experienced by
Of the appropriations for shelter and services, no less than
children exposed to domestic violence, support
70% must be awarded to states and territories and no less
relationships among children and their parents, and improve
than 10% must be awarded to Indian tribes. These funds are
community responses to affected families.
to be used to establish, maintain, and expand programs to
Domestic Violence Prevention (DELTA)
prevent and respond to domestic violence. Of the funding
for states and territories, each territory (GU, AS, USVI,
Since 1996, CDC has awarded DELTA funding to SDVCs
CNMI) receives no less than one-eighth of 1% of the
to coordinate local community projects to prevent domestic
appropriation, or, in combination, about one-half of 1% of
violence. In total, 34 states and DC have received funding
the total amount appropriated. Of the remaining funds,
under various iterations of the program. Currently, 13
states (including DC and PR) receive an allotment of
SDVCs receive DELTA funds, and are focused on
$600,000 and additional funding based on their relative
implementing interventions that reduce risk factors for
shares of the U.S. population.
domestic violence, particularly health-related risk factors.
For Further Information
States and territories (hereinafter, “states”) may use up to
5% of funding for administrative costs. Remaining funds
For more information, see CRS Report R42838, Family
are dedicated to subgrants to eligible entities—local public
Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA):
agencies or nonprofit private organizations—for
Background and Funding.
community-based programs that meet the goals of the grant.
Kara Clifford Billings, Analyst in Social Policy
No less than 70% of subgrant funding is to be used to
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Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA)

IF11170

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