Knowledge Base

The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) was first passed in 1984 and was the first federal law to address domestic violence. FVPSA is administered by the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program, which is located within the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Family Youth Services Bureau. FVPSA provides the primary federal funding stream dedicated to the support of immediate shelter and supportive services for survivors of domestic violence or dating violence and their dependents. FVPSA supports life-saving services throughout the country through grants to states, territories, and tribal governments, as well as funding for other critical programs, such as national resource centers, state/territory domestic violence coalitions, prevention programs, and the National Domestic Violence Hotline. FVPSA provides core funding annually that helps to support services provided by more than 1,600 organizations and programs across the country in their response to the urgent needs of domestic violence survivors and their children.