HR7333-119

What This Bill Does

The Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2026 updates the federal family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence services framework. It revises definitions, adds grant conditions treating federally funded prevention programs as federal financial assistance for civil-rights purposes, and updates authorization levels. It authorizes $270 million per year for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 for sections 301 through 312 and 313C, with reserved shares for Tribal grants, national resource centers, State domestic violence coalitions, Tribal domestic violence coalitions, national hotlines, and underserved or culturally specific services. It expands HHS authority to make grants, contracts, and cooperative agreements with public agencies, nonprofits, institutions of higher education, and other entities for demonstrations, evaluations, emerging issues, and technical assistance. It updates State allotments, State formula grant requirements, State application content, subgrant uses, grants to Indian Tribes, national resource centers and training centers, State domestic violence coalition grants, Tribal domestic violence coalition grants, specialized services for abused parents and children, the National Domestic Violence Hotline, a National Indian Domestic Violence Hotline, grants for underserved populations, culturally specific services, and prevention leadership. It also includes a severability clause so the rest of the Act remains in effect if one provision is invalidated.

Who Benefits and How

Family violence survivors, domestic violence survivors, dating violence survivors, children, abused parents, Indian adult victims, Indian youth victims, Tribal governments, State domestic violence coalitions, Tribal domestic violence coalitions, culturally specific organizations, underserved communities, national resource centers, hotline operators, and prevention programs benefit from larger authorizations, clearer eligibility, expanded services, technical assistance, digital hotline support, and dedicated grant streams. State agencies and Tribal organizations benefit from updated formulas and reservations that direct money to shelters, supportive services, safety planning, prevention, coalition work, and culturally specific programs. HHS and the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program benefit from clearer authority to evaluate emerging issues and support evidence-informed prevention.

Who Bears the Burden and How

HHS, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program, States, Indian Tribes, Tribal organizations, State coalitions, Tribal coalitions, hotline operators, national resource centers, underserved-population grantees, and culturally specific service grantees must apply for, administer, document, evaluate, and comply with expanded grant conditions. Programs receiving funds must follow civil-rights and nondiscrimination rules, confidentiality rules, voluntary service principles, and reporting expectations. Federal taxpayers fund the higher $270 million annual authorization and set-asides. Grant recipients must coordinate services, collect data, update digital systems, and provide culturally specific, accessible, and trauma-informed services.

Key Provisions

• Updates FVPSA definitions and grant conditions, including civil-rights treatment for federally funded prevention programs.
• Authorizes $270 million annually for fiscal years 2027 through 2031 and reserves funds for Tribal grants, coalitions, hotlines, resource centers, underserved populations, and culturally specific services.
• Expands State formula grants, State applications, subgrant uses, Indian Tribe grants, resource centers, State coalitions, and Tribal coalitions.
• Modernizes the National Domestic Violence Hotline and creates a National Indian Domestic Violence Hotline with telephonic and digital services.
• Creates or revises grants for underserved populations, culturally specific services, abused parents and children, and prevention leadership.