Better Care For Domestic Violence Survivors Act
This bill would create a federal demonstration program under the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to fund trauma-informed, victim-centered training for healthcare providers who interact with survivors of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking. The program would grant funds to eligible facilities (including hospitals, clinics, colleges, and other health-related facilities) to partner with victim services organizations and to train staff and partners in evidence-based, trauma-informed approaches designed to prevent re-traumatization and improve identification, response, and treatment of survivors. It emphasizes collaboration among healthcare providers, law enforcement, and community partners, and requires evaluation of training effectiveness with ongoing data reporting. The bill authorizes $10 million annually for 2026–2030 to run the program and calls for public reporting and a Government Accountability Office assessment.
Key Points
- 1Establishes a demonstration program (trauma-informed, victim-centered training) within Subtitle Q of the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1994 to improve responses to DV, dating violence, sexual assault, and stalking by healthcare providers.
- 2Defines key terms (e.g., covered individuals, eligible entities, mandatory partners) and broadens who participates (including campus personnel and emergency services staff) to ensure a wide range of healthcare- and community-facing personnel can be trained.
- 3Provides grant authority for the Attorney General (in consultation with the Secretary of Health and Human Services) to award competitive grants to eligible entities to work with mandatory partners and implement evidence-based, trauma-informed practices that:
- 4- prevent re-traumatization,
- 5- improve identification and treatment of victims,
- 6- foster collaboration among stakeholders, and
- 7- evaluate the training process and outcomes.
- 8Requires training to be adaptable across diverse settings (urban, rural, Tribal, college campuses, underserved communities) and to focus on culturally and linguistically appropriate care and on complex cases (e.g., strangulation, non-stranger violence, LGBTQ+ and disability considerations).
- 9Emphasizes practical program activities, including developing partnerships among healthcare providers, law enforcement, and community members, and using multiple channels (website, social media, printing, community meetings) to inform all covered individuals about efforts and trainings.
- 10Includes an evaluation framework requiring a research partner to design data collection and evaluation, with periodic public reporting of preliminary results and recommendations; mandates a GAO report within three years.
- 11Authorizes $10,000,000 in annual funding for fiscal years 2026–2030 to support the program.