Collapse to view only § 12511. Sexual assault services program
§ 12511. Sexual assault services program
(a) PurposesThe purposes of this section are—
(1) to assist States, Indian tribes, and territories in providing intervention, advocacy, accompaniment, support services, and related assistance for—
(A) adult, youth, and child victims of sexual assault;
(B) family and household members of such victims; and
(C) those collaterally affected by the victimization, except for the perpetrator of such victimization; and
(2) to provide for technical assistance and training relating to sexual assault to—
(A) Federal, State, tribal, territorial and local governments, law enforcement agencies, and courts;
(B) professionals working in legal, social service, and health care settings;
(C) nonprofit organizations;
(D) faith-based organizations; and
(E) other individuals and organizations seeking such assistance.
(b) Grants to States and territories
(1) Grants authorized
(2) Allocation and use of funds
(A) Administrative costs
(B) Grant funds
(C) Intervention and related assistanceIntervention and related assistance under subparagraph (B) may include—
(i) 24-hour hotline services providing crisis intervention services and referral;
(ii) accompaniment and advocacy through medical, criminal justice, and social support systems, including medical facilities, police, and court proceedings;
(iii) crisis intervention, short-term individual and group support services, direct payments, and comprehensive service coordination and supervision to assist sexual assault victims and family or household members;
(iv) information and referral to assist the sexual assault victim and family or household members;
(v) community-based, culturally specific services and support mechanisms, including outreach activities for underserved communities; and
(vi) the development and distribution of materials on issues related to the services described in clauses (i) through (v).
(3) Application
(A) In general
(B) ContentsEach application submitted under subparagraph (A) shall—
(i) set forth procedures designed to ensure meaningful involvement of the State or territorial sexual assault coalition and representatives from underserved communities in the development of the application and the implementation of the plans;
(ii) set forth procedures designed to ensure an equitable distribution of grants and grant funds within the State or territory and between urban and rural areas within such State or territory;
(iii) identify the State or territorial agency that is responsible for the administration of programs and activities; and
(iv) meet other such requirements as the Attorney General reasonably determines are necessary to carry out the purposes and provisions of this section.
(4) Minimum amount
(c) Grants for culturally specific programs addressing sexual assault
(1) Grants authorized
(2) Eligible entitiesTo be eligible to receive a grant under this section, an entity shall—
(A) be a private nonprofit organization that focuses primarily on culturally specific communities;
(B) must have documented organizational experience in the area of sexual assault intervention or have entered into a partnership with an organization having such expertise;
(C) have expertise in the development of community-based, linguistically and culturally specific outreach and intervention services relevant for the specific communities to whom assistance would be provided or have the capacity to link to existing services in the community tailored to the needs of culturally specific populations; and
(D) have an advisory board or steering committee and staffing which is reflective of the targeted culturally specific community.
(3) Award basis
(4) Distribution
(5) Term
(6) Technical assistance
(7) Reporting
(d) Grants to State, territorial, and tribal sexual assault coalitions
(1) Grants authorized
(A) In general
(B) Minimum amount
(C) Eligible applicants
(2) Use of fundsGrant funds received under this subsection may be used to—
(A) work with local sexual assault programs and other providers of direct services to encourage appropriate responses to sexual assault within the State, territory, or tribe;
(B) work with judicial and law enforcement agencies to encourage appropriate responses to sexual assault cases;
(C) work with courts, child protective services agencies, and children’s advocates to develop appropriate responses to child custody and visitation issues when sexual assault has been determined to be a factor;
(D) design and conduct public education campaigns;
(E) plan and monitor the distribution of grants and grant funds to their State, territory, or tribe; or
(F) collaborate with and inform Federal, State, or local public officials and agencies to develop and implement policies to reduce or eliminate sexual assault.
(3) Allocation and use of fundsFrom amounts appropriated for grants under this subsection for each fiscal year—
(A) not less than 10 percent of the funds shall be available for grants to tribal sexual assault coalitions; and
(B) the remaining funds shall be available for grants to State and territorial coalitions, and the Attorney General shall allocate an amount equal to 1⁄56 of the amounts so appropriated to each of those State and territorial coalitions.
(4) Application
(5) First-time applicants
(e) Grants to tribes
(1) Grants authorized
(2) Allocation and use of funds
(A) Administrative costs
(B) Grant funds
(f) Authorization of appropriations
(1) In general
(2) AllocationsOf the total amounts appropriated for each fiscal year to carry out this section—
(A) not more than 2.5 percent shall be used by the Attorney General for evaluation, monitoring, and other administrative costs under this section;
(B) not more than 8 percent shall be used for the provision of technical assistance to grantees and subgrantees under this section of which not less than 20 percent shall be available for technical assistance to recipients and potential recipients of grants under subsection (c);
(C) not less than 65 percent shall be used for grants to States and territories under subsection (b);
(D) not less than 10 percent shall be used for making grants to State, territorial, and tribal sexual assault coalitions under subsection (d);
(E) not less than 10 percent shall be used for grants to tribes under subsection (e); and
(F) not less than 10 percent shall be used for grants for culturally specific programs addressing sexual assault under subsection (c).
(Pub. L. 103–322, title IV, § 41601, as added Pub. L. 109–271, § 3(b), Aug. 12, 2006, 120 Stat. 754; amended Pub. L. 113–4, title II, § 201, Mar. 7, 2013, 127 Stat. 80; Pub. L. 117–103, div. W, title II, § 201, Mar. 15, 2022, 136 Stat. 856.)
§ 12512. Working Group
(a) In general
(b) Consultation with stakeholders
The Working Group shall consult with—
(1) stakeholders in law enforcement, prosecution, forensic laboratory, counseling, forensic examiner, medical facility, and medical provider communities; and
(2) representatives of not less than 3 entities with demonstrated expertise in sexual assault prevention, sexual assault advocacy, or representation of sexual assault victims, of which not less than 1 representative shall be a sexual assault victim.
(c) Membership
(d) Duties
The Working Group shall—
(1) develop recommendations for improving the coordination of the dissemination and implementation of best practices and protocols regarding the care and treatment of sexual assault survivors and the preservation of evidence to hospital administrators, physicians, forensic examiners, and other medical associations and leaders in the medical community;
(2) encourage, where appropriate, the adoption and implementation of best practices and protocols regarding the care and treatment of sexual assault survivors and the preservation of evidence among hospital administrators, physicians, forensic examiners, and other medical associations and leaders in the medical community;
(3) develop recommendations to promote the coordination of the dissemination and implementation of best practices regarding the care and treatment of sexual assault survivors and the preservation of evidence to State attorneys general, United States attorneys, heads of State law enforcement agencies, forensic laboratory directors and managers, and other leaders in the law enforcement community;
(4) develop and implement, where practicable, incentives to encourage the adoption or implementation of best practices regarding the care and treatment of sexual assault survivors and the preservation of evidence among State attorneys general, United States attorneys, heads of State law enforcement agencies, forensic laboratory directors and managers, and other leaders in the law enforcement community;
(5) collect feedback from stakeholders, practitioners, and leadership throughout the Federal and State law enforcement, victim services, forensic science practitioner, and health care communities to inform development of future best practices or clinical guidelines regarding the care and treatment of sexual assault survivors; and
(6) perform other activities, such as activities relating to development, dissemination, outreach, engagement, or training associated with advancing victim-centered care for sexual assault survivors.
(e) Report
(Pub. L. 114–236, § 4, Oct. 7, 2016, 130 Stat. 968.)