S. 3764 — Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2026

This section revises the purpose statement of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act to improve services and interventions for victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence and to advance primary and secondary prevention through (1) assisting states (including territories) and Indian tribes in supporting local programs that provide accessible, trauma-informed, culturally relevant residential and non-residential services to victims and their children and dependents; (2) strengthening the capacity of Indian tribes to exercise sovereign authority in responding to such violence against Indians; (3) establishing a network of technical assistance and training centers to support policy, practice, research, and cross-system collaboration; (4) supporting state (including territorial), tribal, and local coalitions in addressing victims' needs (including underserved populations), implementing coordinated responses, and promoting public education; (5) maintaining national domestic violence, dating violence, family violence, and Indian-specific hotlines; and (6) developing evidence-informed, coalition-led, community-based primary prevention programs.

This section revises the definitions in Section 302 of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (42 U.S.C. 10402)—which supports grants for family violence prevention services, shelters, and related programs—by (1) restructuring the section into subsection (a); (2) defining "child" as an individual younger than age 18 who is not an emancipated minor; (3) striking paragraphs (3) and (4); (4) adding definitions of "dating partner," "dating violence," "digital services" (i.e., electronically provided victim services in accessible formats), "disability," "domestic violence," "family violence" (i.e., expanded to include acts against blood/marriage relatives, dating partners, cohabitants, spouses, those sharing children/dependents, or others protected under relevant laws), "institution of higher education" (as defined in the Higher Education Act of 1965, 20 U.S.C. 1001), "population specific services," and "Tribal domestic violence coalition"; (5) amending definitions of "shelter," "Indian," "Indian Tribe," "Tribal organization," and "Native Hawaiian" and "Native Hawaiian organization"; (6) replacing references to "dependents" with "children and dependents" in multiple definitions; (7) updating statutory citations (e.g., to 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)); and (8) redesignating paragraphs.

This section establishes grant conditions applicable to programs and activities funded under this title of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. (1) Discrimination prohibited.—Requires such programs to comply with federal civil rights laws prohibiting discrimination on bases specified in section 40002(b)(13)(A) of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12291(b)(13)(A)), with the exception in section 40002(b)(13)(B) applying; directs the Secretary to enforce these requirements consistent with the Civil Rights Act of 1964. (2) Nondisclosure of confidential information.—Requires grantees and subgrantees to protect victim confidentiality and privacy consistent with specified provisions of the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12291(b)(2)); permits congressional oversight disclosures (without personally identifying information); preempts only weaker protections; and bars public disclosure of shelter locations without authorization. (3) Income eligibility standards.—Prohibits imposing income eligibility requirements or fees on persons receiving assistance or services funded under this title. (4) Supplement not supplant.—Requires federal funds provided to states or Indian tribes under this title to supplement, and not supplant, other federal, state, tribal, or local public funds for related services and activities.

This section repeals the prior authorization of appropriations for the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA)—which supports domestic violence shelters, hotlines, training, and services for victims through grants to states, tribes, coalitions, and others—and authorizes $270 million for each of FY2027 through 2031 (from $175 million for FY2011 through 2015) to carry out specified FVPSA sections (301 through 312 and 313C, excluding 304(c)), with the following reservations: (1) not less than 12.5% for grants to tribes under sec. 309 (to 12.5% from 10%); (2) not less than 70% of the remainder for state formula grants under sec. 306(a); (3) not less than 6% of the remainder for technical assistance and training centers under sec. 310; (4) not less than 10% and 3% of the remainder, respectively, for state domestic violence coalitions under sec. 311 and tribal coalitions under new sec. 311A; (5) not less than 5% of the remainder for specialized services under sec. 312; (6) not less than 2.5% of the remainder for culturally specific services under sec. 313C; and (7) not more than 3.5% of the remainder for administration, evaluation, and monitoring (to 3.5% from 2.5%). Separately, this section authorizes $5 million for culturally specific services under sec. 313C; $20.5 million for the national domestic violence hotline under sec. 313 (from $3.5 million); $4 million for the National Indian Domestic Violence Hotline under sec. 313A; $26 million for domestic violence prevention enhancement and leadership under sec. 314 (from $6 million); $10 million for grants for underserved populations under sec. 313B; and $3.5 million for evaluation under sec. 304(c), each for FY2027 through 2031.

This section expands the Secretary of Health and Human Services' authorities under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act by (1) authorizing grants to or contracts with institutions of higher education, including to support and evaluate demonstration or discretionary projects addressing current and emerging issues; (2) updating a regulatory reference from the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010 to the Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2026; and (3) authorizing flexibilities in grant terms and waivers of program requirements (including matching requirements) during major disasters, emergencies, or public health emergencies declared under specified statutes. The section further revises administration duties by broadening technical assistance to encompass prevention of, intervention in, and provision of services for family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence (from prevention and treatment of such violence); authorizing grants to or contracts with eligible entities, nongovernmental organizations, or institutions of higher education for related research or evaluation; and establishing a new evaluation authority permitting the Secretary to conduct program evaluations through grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts.

This section revises the formula for allotting funds appropriated for grants to states under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA). Under the revised formula in subsection (a), each state—including Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands—receives a base allotment of $600,000, with remaining funds allotted to the 50 states based on population (excluding the territories); previously, the territories each received not less than 1/8 of 1% of total funds, and states received $600,000 plus a population-based share of the remainder. The section also revises subsection (e) to provide that allotted funds remain available for state obligation under the title (from under section 314) and strikes subsection (f).

This section revises formula grants to states under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (i.e., grants to support shelter, services, and prevention programs for victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence) by—(1) in subsection (a)(2), specifying that grants support services for victims and their children and dependents (previously, victims and their dependents); (2) in subsection (a)(3), expanding specialized services to victims who are Indians, members of Indian Tribes, or members of racial and ethnic minority populations; (3) in subsection (c)(1), changing the cross-reference for confidentiality limitations from "paragraph (5)" to "section 302A"; (4) striking subsections (c)(2), (3), (5), and (6), which prohibited discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, race, color, national origin, or religion and applied specified civil rights statutes to funded programs; and (5) redesignating former subsection (c)(4) as (c)(2), capitalizing "Indian Tribe" therein, and adding a waiver of the matching requirement for any fiscal year if the Secretary determines it would cause serious hardship or inability to carry out grant activities.

This section revises state application requirements for grants under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA). (As background, FVPSA provides formula grants to states and Indian Tribes to prevent family violence and support services such as shelters, counseling, and advocacy for victims of family violence, domestic violence, dating violence, and their dependents.) Specifically, it (1) deems a state's FVPSA application to be a "State plan" for purposes of qualification under the STOP Violence Against Women Formula Grant Program (34 U.S.C. 10446(c)(3)); (2) requires assurances that no more than 5% of funds are used for administrative costs and the remainder distributed to eligible entities for approved activities, with special emphasis on nonprofit community-based projects providing shelter or counseling, advocacy, and self-help services; (3) requires descriptions of how states will ensure coordination among providers, establish service standards and best practices (including with cultural and legal relevance for Indian Tribes and cultural relevance for underserved racial, ethnic, Tribal, and other populations), address unmet needs of such populations, and promote trauma-informed care, autonomy, and privacy (including in shelter design and delivery); and (4) makes technical changes, including capitalizing "Tribal" and adding cross-references to new sections 302A and 306(c).

This section revises subgrant requirements and permissible uses of funds under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act state formula grant program (i.e., grants to states for subgrants to local entities providing shelter and supportive services to victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, and their dependents). Specifically, in subsection (a), it makes grammatical changes ("that is designed" to "that are designed") and specifies subgrants for victims and their children and dependents (from dependents). In subsection (b)(1), it (1) revises safety assistance language ("developing safety plans" to "safety planning"); (2) expands culturally and linguistically appropriate services to explicitly include underserved racial and ethnic populations, persons with disabilities, and other underserved populations; (3) adds a new subparagraph (F) for provision of shelter and supportive services to underserved populations; (4) inserts language assistance requirements (e.g., translation, interpreters) and accessibility for victims with disabilities or limited English proficiency in redesignated subparagraph (H); (5) adds a new subparagraph (J) for partnerships enhancing service design and delivery to victims, children, and dependents; and (6) makes conforming changes throughout, including replacing "dependents" with "children and dependents." In subsection (b)(2), it clarifies eligibility for facilities whose primary purpose is to provide shelter and services (from "for the primary purpose of providing") and updates cross-references. In subsection (c), it revises eligible entities to prioritize organizations with a documented history of relevant work (removing local public agencies from the primary list but allowing them separately) and adds as eligible organizations providing culturally specific services to underserved populations that partner with experienced organizations. Subsection (d) is replaced to specify that supportive services participation is voluntary and shelter benefits cannot be conditioned on such participation.

This section makes technical and conforming amendments to the grants provision for Indian Tribes, including (1) updating a cross-reference in subsection (a) to 34 U.S.C. 20126 (from 42 U.S.C. 14045d); (2) capitalizing specified terms throughout subsections (a) and (b) such as "tribal" to "Tribal," "Indian tribes" to "Indian Tribes," "Indian tribe" to "Indian Tribe," and "tribal organization" to "Tribal organization"; (3) revising a cross-reference in subsection (a) to "section 303 and made available" (from "section 303(a)(2)(B)"); and (4) expanding a cross-reference in subsection (d) to include "302A, 306(c)" (from "306(c)").

This section revises the national resource centers and training and technical assistance centers authorized under Section 310 of the Violence Against Women Act. Specifically, in subsection (a)(2), it (1) modifies the funding source to grants under section 303 made available for this section; (2) in subparagraph (A), increases grants for family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence resource centers to 11 (from 7), adds an Alaska Native Tribal resource center on domestic violence to reduce Tribal disparities, and adds a Native Hawaiian resource center on domestic violence to reduce Native Hawaiian disparities; and (3) in subparagraph (B), redirects grants to entities focusing on critical issues such as housing needs of victims and their children and dependents, leadership development for advocates from underserved populations, and emerging issues related to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence. In subsection (b), it revises the purposes of the centers to (1) include children and dependents and specify an online central resource; (2) capitalize references to "Tribes" and "Tribal organizations" and update statutory citations to 34 U.S.C. 10452 note; (3) expand topics to include enhancing family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence responses such as protective orders, batterers' intervention programming, responses to charged, incarcerated, and re-entering victims, health advocacy, mental health and substance use disorder systems, underserved victims due to sexual orientation or gender identity, victims with disabilities (including acquired disabilities), and strengthening State Domestic Violence Coalitions, Tribal Domestic Violence Coalitions, and administrators distributing funds under the title. (Thus, these centers support policy, practice, research, and collaboration to address violence against women, including underserved groups.)

This section revises grants to State Domestic Violence Coalitions by (1) changing the funding source in subsection (b)(1) to amounts appropriated under section 303 and made available to carry out this section (from amounts under section 303(a)(2)(D)); and (2) restructuring subsection (d) to specify required uses of funds that shall include working with local service providers on comprehensive responses to, and evidence-informed prevention of, family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence (new language); participating in planning and monitoring state subgrants; collaborating with children and dependents of victims; and collaborating with Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations (or Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian groups or communities), as applicable, to address needs of Indian (including Alaska Native) or Native Hawaiian victims (new provision); while allowable activities may include collaborating with and providing technical assistance to specified entities, with mental health services expanded to explicitly include substance use disorders. The section further strikes one required activity (former paragraph (8)), strikes subsection (e), redesignates subsequent subsections and paragraphs, and makes conforming and technical changes (e.g., capitalization of "Tribes"). (State Domestic Violence Coalitions coordinate statewide responses to domestic violence under the Violence Against Women Act, including training providers, assessing needs, and overseeing subgrants to local programs.)

This section establishes grants to Tribal Domestic Violence Coalitions (i.e., entities providing services to Indian Tribes) beginning in FY2027, using amounts appropriated under section 303 of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. Grant recipients may use funds for administration and family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence intervention and prevention activities within served Indian Tribes, including (1) training, technical assistance, and needs assessments for local service providers; (2) planning and monitoring state subgrants under section 308(a); (3) collaborating with service providers and organizations in housing, health care, education, and law enforcement; (4) developing policies, protocols, and programs; (5) encouraging appropriate judicial and law enforcement responses; (6) addressing child custody and visitation in relevant cases; (7) public information campaigns; (8) supporting tribal participation in federal and state consultations; and (9) providing direct victim services under section 308(b). If funds are not fully awarded within six months of the fiscal year due to ineligibility, remaining amounts are reallocated in equal shares to qualifying coalitions.

This section revises the grant program to support children and youth exposed to family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence—including by expanding services to adult caregivers and culturally specific community-based programs—by making the following changes: (1) in subsection (a), modifying the program purpose to serve children and youth and support adult victims' caregiving capacity; and increasing initial grant periods to 3 years (from not more than 2 years) and renewal periods to 2 years (from not more than 2 years); (2) in subsection (b), expanding eligible entities to include State domestic violence services and culturally specific organizations; requiring a record of serving adult and child victims; and changing "tribal organization" to "Tribal organization"; (3) in subsection (c), requiring grant applications to describe prioritizing safety and confidentiality for adult and child victims; providing trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate services to children, youth, and adult caregivers; ensuring staff training on child/youth needs, safety of children/youth and non-abusing parents, and improved interventions; and detailing prevention activities for child and youth victims; (4) in subsection (d), specifying uses of funds for culturally specific community-based programs; expanding direct services to child, youth, and adult victims through specified systems or the health system; broadening coordination to health, education, or other community-based organizations serving adult and child victims; and authorizing subgrants or contracts for services to children, youth, including health and transportation; and (5) in subsection (e), requiring grantees to participate in an evaluation and report information on grant activities.

This section expands the national domestic violence hotline grant program (42 U.S.C. 10413) to include digital services alongside the 24-hour toll-free telephonic hotline for providing information and assistance to adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, as well as their family and household members and others affected by such victimization. (As background, the program awards grants of up to five years to private entities with relevant experience, prioritizing those now demonstrating capacity for both hotline and digital operations, including information on healthy relationships for adults and youth.) The section further revises application requirements to cover digital services in operational plans (e.g., training and qualifications for advocacy personnel; publicity; service for limited English proficient users and persons with disabilities, including deaf/hard of hearing, blind, or visually impaired individuals; and youth assistance via hotline, digital services, or resources); adds criteria for providing referrals, direct connections to providers, crisis interventions, and healthy relationship information; and updates grant purposes and uses to encompass 24-hour digital counseling and referrals in accessible formats (e.g., Web Content Accessibility Guidelines-compliant), with expanded outreach to underserved racial/ethnic, Tribal, and other populations. (Thus, grantees must ensure accommodations and training for broader access via phone and digital platforms.)

This section establishes a grant program under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) to fund a Tribal organization or private nonprofit entity in operating a 24-hour national toll-free hotline and digital services for Indian adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, as well as their family and household members and others affected by such victimization. (As background, FVPSA authorizes federal grants for domestic violence victim services, including hotlines and shelters.) The Secretary of Health and Human Services must award a grant for up to five years—subject to annual approval and appropriations—to an eligible entity demonstrating expertise in Indian victim services, support from Tribal programs, capacity to maintain a hotline and database of Tribal resources, and detailed plans for culturally appropriate training on federal Indian and Tribal law, publicity, limited English proficiency and disability access, and youth services; grant funds must support toll-free telephone/digital contracts, 24-hour staffing with counseling and referrals, and a resource database.

This section establishes a new grant program under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (42 U.S.C. 10401 et seq.) to support communities in preventing and addressing family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence among underserved populations. The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program, awards planning and implementation grants to eligible entities—including population-specific organizations with relevant expertise (or partnering with victim service providers) and victim service providers offering population-specific services—for capacity building and community-driven strategies that address access barriers, raise awareness, and promote engagement. Grantees must describe the targeted underserved population and proposed uses in their applications; permissible uses include expanding collaborations, conducting needs assessments, procuring training, developing sustainability plans, collecting data, and evaluating activities (with grants lasting up to five years, extendable in extraordinary circumstances). The Secretary also awards evaluation grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts to prior planning grant recipients for additional data analysis, program evaluation (including process and outcomes), and dissemination of findings.

This section revises the domestic violence prevention program—previously authorizing cooperative agreements of up to five years with State Domestic Violence Coalitions to support local community prevention projects using coordinated responses and education—to authorize three new grant programs from appropriations under section 303(d) focused on primary and secondary prevention of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence. The revised section provides (1) grants or cooperative agreements to State and Tribal Domestic Violence Coalitions to build organizational capacity and leadership, including training, technical assistance, advocacy, dissemination of strategies, and subgrants to local programs; (2) grants or cooperative agreements to eligible entities, including such coalitions with representatives from expanded community sectors (e.g., health care, education, juvenile justice, culturally specific organizations), to implement and test innovative prevention models for underserved populations and to scale up models with promising or demonstrated effectiveness, for terms of up to five years; and (3) grants to eligible entities to expand community and systems capacity for prevention efforts. (As background, the program, under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, supports HHS efforts to prevent domestic violence before it occurs.) Coalitions must submit applications demonstrating prevention capacity and activities, with required reports on outcomes.

This section amends Section 1708(c) of the Public Health Service Act as follows: (1) expands authorized demonstration projects to prevent violence among adolescents (particularly projects to reduce the incidence of teen dating violence) and to increase abuse awareness, education, and prevention; and (2) authorizes $10 million for each of FY2027 through 2031 (from $5 million for FY1993 and such sums as necessary for FY1994 through 1997).

This section includes a severability clause stating that if any provision of the Act (or an amendment made by the Act) or its application to any person, entity, government, or circumstance is held unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act (including its amendments) and its application to others shall not be affected.