Domestic Violence (DV) and Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)

All programs supported by ACF, including TANF, have an important role in helping families who have become victims of sexual harassment or survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. These terms are often included under the definitions of domestic violence (DV) and intimate partner violence (IPV). ACF’s Office of Family Violence Prevention Services (OFVPS) administers the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), which is the primary federal funding stream dedicated to supporting emergency shelters and related assistance for survivors of domestic violence and their children. As referenced in TANF-ACF-IM-2014-03, there is an abundance of information about domestic violence training, resources, and potential opportunities for collaboration. 



Investment in meaningful training partnerships is critical to helping human services staff provide support to victims of sexual harassment or survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking and to their children when accessing TANF programs. Existing community resources provide options for training by professional domestic violence advocates on both the dynamics of domestic violence and appropriate interviewing techniques to encourage disclosure and safe access to services, such as safety planning and establishing good cause. We encourage TANF agencies to contact domestic violence coalitions or domestic violence shelter programs to provide required training to staff, as briefly outlined in TANF-ACF-PI-2022-02 published on April 14, 2022.

Incorporating trauma-informed care and support in state agency policies and practices will help to address and lessen the many barriers experienced by families impacted by sexual harassment, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. Additionally, mutually beneficial training partnerships can help local domestic violence advocates and service providers better understand and make appropriate referrals to programs such as TANF, Head Start, Child Support, and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP).



TANF programs should make every effort to assist families and children who are experiencing sexual harassment, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking by sharing national, state, and local hotline information or numbers for local domestic violence intervention programs, either directly or by posting in public spaces that are frequented by staff and families.

States are encouraged to share these resources with TANF agency staff.

FVPSA State Administrators and Coalitions: Following are a few resources related to the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), the primary federal funding stream of the Office of Family Violence and Prevention Services (OFVPS) that works across the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and the Administration of Children and Families to increase supports for survivors, including meeting the needs of children exposed to domestic violence. 

FVPSA State Domestic Violence Coalitions:
FVPSA State Domestic Violence Coalitions are the ears and voices of survivor advocates and programs within their state. The FVPSA Program is the primary federal funding stream for State and Territorial Domestic Violence Coalitions, which coordinate state- and territory-wide improvements within local communities, social service systems, and programming regarding the prevention and intervention of domestic violence. The coalitions provide comprehensive training and technical assistance on a multitude of social, legal, and economic issues that affect survivors’ safety and well-being. Coalitions partner with government, private industry, non-profits, and faith-based communities, and other stakeholders to coordinate and improve the safety net of services available to survivors and their dependents. For a complete list of state domestic violence coalitions and their contact information, see  State and Territorial Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault Coalitions.

FVPSA State Administrators:
FVPSA State Administrators work with their stakeholders as family violence issues arise and develop state domestic violence plans to meet the needs of survivors and their families. Here’s a page with a PDF containing a list of entities receiving FVPSA State and Territory Formula Grant Program funding. The list includes each agency’s name, address, and website.

FVPSA Domestic Violence Training and Technical Assistance Resources:
The FVPSA Program funds domestic violence training modules and free online resources that can help social services agencies learn more about supporting domestic violence survivors and their children. Please use the FVPSA resource center website links below to access training from FVPSA technical assistance providers.

National and Special Issue Domestic Violence Resources:
A national network of resource centers exists to address the impact of domestic violence and dating violence within specific issue areas such as health, mental health, substance abuse, child protection, and legal services. These organizations also provide training and technical assistance; produce tools for advocates and practitioners; conduct research; and partner with agencies to increase their overall capacity to support individuals and families impacted by domestic violence. The training materials and resources below help child support professionals whose caseloads may include families experiencing domestic violence and raise awareness of issues faced by survivors. The Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE) encourages child support programs to become familiar with these available resources.

  • The Child Protection, Child Custody, and Domestic Violence Center – Provides expertise on the intersection of child maltreatment and domestic violence through information, training, and technical assistance to states, coalitions and local domestic violence service providers. It operates a toll-free line with experienced staff who can provide information, referrals/resources, and technical assistance in both English and Spanish around child protection and custody issues in the context of domestic violence.
  • Promising Futures Without Violence – Online resource center that houses evidence-based interventions, program models, and training curriculum and tools focused on best practices for serving children, youth, and parents experiencing domestic violence.
  • National Resource Center on Domestic Violence –Provides a wide range of free, comprehensive, and individualized technical assistance, training, and resource materials for domestic violence intervention and prevention, community education and organizing, public policy and systems advocacy, and funding.
  • National Center on Domestic Violence, Trauma, and Mental Health – Promotes survivor-defined healing, liberation, and equity by transforming the systems that impact survivors of domestic and sexual violence and their families. It enhances agency- and system-level responses to survivors and their families through comprehensive training and technical assistance, research and evaluation, policy development, and public awareness.
  • Trauma-Informed Domestic Violence Services –Provides an overview of trauma-informed approaches to working with survivors and their children and the research that supports this approach.
  • Capacity Building and Program Technical Assistance – Provides comprehensive, specialized technical assistance and training to FVPSA formula grantees, including state and territory domestic violence coalitions, state administrators, and tribal programs. It provides support and technical assistance for partnerships between TANF agencies, state coalitions, and state administrators.
  • National Health Resource Center on Domestic Violence – Offers personalized, expert technical assistance and online toolkit for health care providers and domestic violence advocates to address domestic and sexual violence.
  • Safe Housing Capacity Building Center – Provides training and technical assistance on addressing domestic violence survivor’s housing needs. It’s a member of the Safe Housing Technical Assistance Consortium, a federal technical assistance consortium that leverages federal resources for housing, homelessness, and domestic and sexual violence service providers and advocates. This initiative strives to improve coordination across service systems; integrate trauma-informed assessments for violence into a coordinated response; help continuums of care (CoCs) develop partnerships with victim services providers; and identify policies and practices that promote positive outcomes, resilience, and stability for survivors and their children.
  • Battered Women’s Justice Project: Criminal and Civil Justice Center – Promotes change within the civil and criminal justice systems that enhances their effectiveness in providing safety, security, and justice for battered women and their families. It provides technical assistance to advocates, civil attorneys, judges and court personnel, law enforcement officers, prosecutors, probation officers, batterers intervention program staff, defense attorneys, policymakers, and survivors of domestic violence and their families and friends.
  • National Domestic Violence Hotline–24/7 confidential crisis intervention services for survivors of domestic violence and their families through phone, chat, and text referral services in over 200 languages
  • National Dating Abuse Helpline–Confidential support for teens, young adults, and their loved ones seeking help, resources, or information related to healthy relationships and dating abuse in the U.S.
  • StrongHearts Native Helpline–24/7 safe, confidential, and anonymous domestic and sexual violence helpline for Native Americans and Alaska Natives, offering culturally appropriate support and advocacy

National Culturally Specific Domestic Violence Resources:
A national network of organizations addresses the impact of domestic violence and sexual assault and implements culturally relevant trauma-informed services for ethnic and racially specific communities. These organizations provide training and technical assistance; produce culturally relevant tools for advocates and practitioners; conduct culturally relevant research; and strengthen partnerships between culturally specific organizations and service providers.

  • Ujima: The National Center on Violence Against Women in the Black Community–National resource center that addresses domestic, sexual, and community violence. It responds to and develops an active approach to ending violence against women in the Black community. It provides education and outreach, training and technical assistance, resource development, research, and public policy efforts.
  • Esperanza United–National network of advocates, community members, organizations, service agencies, professionals, researchers, policy advocates, and activists from the community and social justice organizations working to eliminate gender-based violence in Latin communities. This organization offers training, technical assistance, and critical resources to help further promote the need for strong communities working together.
  • Asian & Pacific Islander Institute on Gender Based Violence–National training and technical assistance provider and clearinghouse on gender violence in Asian, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander communities. It serves a national network of advocates, community members, organizations, service agencies, professionals, researchers, policy advocates, and activists from community and social justice organizations working to eliminate violence against women.

National Culturally Specific Sexual Assault Capacity Building Centers:

  • Minnesota Indian Women's Sexual Assault Coalition–Statewide tribal coalition and national tribal technical assistance provider has worked since 2001 to end gender-based violence and enhance tribal, state, and federal responses to sexual violence and sex trafficking. It serves as a new FVPSA Culturally Specific Sexual Assault Capacity Building Center (CSSAC) for tribal communities.
  • Mujeres Latinas en Accion – A new CSSAC for LatinX communities that provides programs and services for those who have experienced domestic violence or sexual assault.
  • Monsoon Asians & Pacific Islanders in Solidarity – A new CSSAC for the Asian and Pacific Islander communities that serves survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking in Iowa.

American Indian and Alaska Native Domestic Violence Resources:
These national organizations address the impact of domestic violence and dating violence within sovereign nations to reduce disparities. They provide training and technical assistance; produce culturally relevant tools for advocates and practitioners; conduct culturally relevant research; and strengthen partnerships to support development of village-based responses to domestic violence.

  • Alaska Native Women’s Resource Center – Dedicated to strengthening tribal government responses through community organizing efforts, advocating for the safety of women and children in their communities and homes, especially against domestic and sexual abuse and violence.
  • National Indigenous Women’s Resource Center – National technical assistance provider to Alaska Village programs and Tribal Coalitions across Indian Country. It offers free trainings, networking, toolkits, resources, and culturally relevant responses to intimate partner and gender violence and promotes the leadership of Indigenous programs serving their communities.
  • Native Hawaiian Resource Center on Domestic Violence – Provides technical assistance and training; partners at the community, state, and national levels; and develops policies and resources to prevent, intervene, and eliminate domestic violence and increase safety for survivors and their families.

TANF TA: OFA provides technical assistance for TANF agencies and their partners regarding several topics, including DV and IPV. A small sample of related resources is included below, with a complete listing on the Peer TA website at: https://peerta.acf.hhs.gov/search/content

SAVES Demonstration Grants:

ACF awarded $11.2 million to one Tribal and 13 state child support agencies to implement comprehensive domestic violence services to survivors who need assistance accessing child support. Safe Access for Victims’ Economic Security (SAVES) is a new national demonstration model designed to develop, evaluate, and implement best practices to provide safe access to child support and parenting time services. States and tribes receiving SAVES demonstration funding will implement comprehensive domestic violence safety policies, procedures, and outreach activities to increase access to child support and parenting time services for parents not currently receiving child support due to safety concerns over a five-year project period. Grantees are in the states of Colorado, Georgia, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Texas, Virginia, Washington, and Wisconsin.



For questions related to FVPSA domestic violence resources or resource centers, contact Jan-Sheri Morris and Diana Lee.

Contact information for the ACF Office of Family Violence and Prevention Services (OFVPS):

Shawndell Dawson
Director, OFVPS
Administration for Children and Families
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
https://www.acf.hhs.gov/fysb/programs/fvpsa



Please direct inquiries to the TANF Regional Program Manager in your region.

Collective action is needed to ensure appropriate responses and support for all families struggling with sexual harassment, domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking. It is important for all ACF programs, including TANF, to partner with individuals, families, and communities to successfully support affected children and families.