The Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) is the largest funding source for emergency shelters for domestic violence victims and their children. FVPSA was enacted in the Child Abuse Amendments of 1984, and was reauthorized and amended most recently by the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act of 2003.

• FVPSA provides for Domestic Violence shelters core set of services that include: physical shelter for the protection and safety of the victim and children; crisis intervention hotline services; individual and group counseling and legal assistance and referral to other community services.

• FVPSA also supports public agencies and nonprofit organizations in establishing, maintaining and expanding programs and projects to provide immediate services to domestic violence victims and their families.

• Supports the coordination and collaboration of law enforcement, legal, social services and health care professionals at the local level to facilitate a more responsive network of protection and support for families dealing with domestic violence.

• Helps state coalitions provide technical assistance to state agencies and organizations on policy and practice related to domestic violence intervention and prevention, as well as training and support for local domestic violence programs.

• In response to findings that rates of reported intimate partner violence vary among women and men of diverse racial backgrounds, several initiatives have been implemented through FVPSA to facilitate and improve its outreach, information, gathering and service response to under-served communities. This includes mobilizing researchers, academicians and practitioners to focus on issues of family violence that affect these communities.

For full law, click here. (adapted from the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence Fact Sheet on FVPSA)