The IHS is offering this grant to expand Domestic Violence Prevention Programs and integrate culturally appropriate services.

The purpose of this IHS grant is to support the development and/or expansion of a Domestic Violence Prevention (DVP) program by incorporating prevention efforts addressing social, spiritual, physical, and emotional well-being of victims through the integration of culturally appropriate practices and trauma-informed services for Tribes, Tribal organizations, and Urban Indian organizations (UIO) serving the American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) population. This Indian Health Service (IHS) program aims to promote prevention efforts that address domestic and sexual violence, including sexual exploitation/human trafficking, Missing and Murdered AI/AN people, and child maltreatment. To create an effective DVP program, cross-system collaboration with other community sectors to address violence is key – especially with law enforcement, emergency departments, social services, legal services, education, domestic violence coalitions, health care providers, behavioral health, shelters, and advocacy groups. An effective program includes raising awareness of and mitigating the negative health effects and social burden of domestic violence, sexual abuse and assault, child maltreatment (physical, sexual, and psychological/emotional abuse, neglect), sexual exploitation/human trafficking, and Missing and Murdered AI/AN people; providing victims advocacy services; integrating evidence-based practice or traditional and/or faith-based services; collecting and communicating data about prevalence, incidence, and risk factors; and establishing a plan to ensure the sustainability of the program beyond the life of this grant.