Policy alert: FVPSA passed in the House!

28 October 2021

The Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act (FVPSA, H.R. 2119), passed in the House on Tuesday October 26th and we’re thanking everyone who voted yes on the passage of this legislation. Now we ask the Senate to pass the companion bill (S. 1275) to better serve Latin@ survivors.

The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) supports life-saving services throughout the country through grants to states, tribal governments and territories, as well as to the National Domestic Violence Hotline. Administered by the Department of Health and Human Services, FVPSA is the only federal funding source dedicated to providing support to domestic violence shelters and programs.

FVPSA provides core funding to support more than 1,500 local public, private, nonprofit, and faith-based organizations and programs, as well as over 240 tribes and tribal organizations, helping to meet the urgent needs of more than 1.3 million domestic violence survivors and their children.

If passed in the Senate, FVPSA will do the following: 

  • Fund a grant program that increases the capacity of culturally specific community-based organizations to expand access to safety to survivors of color, as well as provisions that promote best practices.
  • Invest in expanding prevention efforts in all states versus the one small program, DELTA, under the current version, which only goes to 10 states (about $6 million total for the program).
  • Make changes to address Indian Tribes, increasing funding and making sure tribal coalitions receive funds just like state DV coalitions do.
  • Codify the Alaska Native Resource Center so it is no longer funded from discretionary funds.

The companion bill (S. 1275) will also fund an underserved grant program for populations that don’t feel comfortable going to mainstream organizations – like elders, younger adults, and LGBTQ individuals.

Esperanza United urges the Senate to swiftly pass FVPSA’s companion bill (S. 1275) to ensure Latin@ survivors receive timely support in these challenging times and now and for years to come.