H.R. 7333 — Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2026

This section revises the purposes of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act by replacing the prior four purposes—public awareness and prevention efforts, shelter and supportive services for victims, a national domestic violence hotline, and technical assistance and training—with six new purposes to improve services and interventions for victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence and advance primary and secondary prevention, specifically by (1) assisting states (including territories) and Indian tribes in supporting local programs for accessible, trauma-informed, culturally relevant residential and non-residential services to victims and their children and dependents; (2) strengthening Indian tribes' capacity to exercise sovereign authority in responding to such violence against Indians; (3) providing a network of technical assistance and training centers for policy, practice, research, and cross-system collaboration; (4) supporting state (including territorial) and tribal coalitions in addressing needs of underserved victims, coordinated community responses, and public education; (5) maintaining national hotlines for domestic, dating, and family violence, including a national Indian hotline; and (6) supporting evidence-informed, coalition-led, community-based primary prevention approaches and programs.

This section revises the definitions in Section 302 of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (42 U.S.C. 10402)—which authorizes grants to states, tribes, and others for shelters, hotlines, counseling, and related services to assist victims of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence and their dependents—by designating the definitions as subsection (a), striking paragraphs (3) and (4), redesignating multiple paragraphs, updating statutory citations (e.g., to 34 U.S.C. 12291(a)), and making the following substantive changes: (1) redefines "child" as an individual younger than age 18 who is not an emancipated minor; (2) adds definitions by cross-reference to the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (34 U.S.C. 12291(a)) for "dating partner," "dating violence," "domestic violence," and "population specific services," and inserts a new, expanded definition of "family violence" to include acts or threats of physical or sexual violence, stalking, harassment, psychological abuse, economic abuse, technological abuse, or other abuse against specified relatives, dating partners, cohabitants, spouses, parents of common children, or others protected under applicable law; (3) defines "digital services" as electronically provided services, resources, information, support, or referrals for victims (including via mobile, video, internet, or emerging technologies) in accessible formats compliant with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines; (4) defines "disability" by reference to the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102); (5) defines "institution of higher education" by reference to the Higher Education Act of 1965 (20 U.S.C. 1001) (i.e., public or nonprofit institutions in any state legally authorized for postsecondary education that admit only high school graduates or equivalent (or persons meeting ability-to-benefit requirements), provide programs leading to a bachelor's degree, a two-year program acceptable for full credit toward such a degree, or a degree acceptable for graduate/professional admission subject to Secretary review, and are accredited or preaccredited); (6) amends definitions of "shelter," state coalitions, and others to replace "dependents" with "children and dependents," specifies "shelter" as temporary refuge with basic necessities and supportive services in compliance with applicable law, requires state coalitions to be designated by the Secretary, and updates tribal/Native Hawaiian terms by cross-reference to specified statutes; and (7) adds definitions of "Tribal domestic violence coalition" as a nonprofit, nongovernmental Indian, Alaska Native, or Native Hawaiian organization recognized by the Department of Justice's Office on Violence Against Women.

This section establishes grant conditions for programs and activities funded under this title of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act. It (1) prohibits discrimination on bases specified in the Violence Against Women Act (subject to religious exceptions), with enforcement by the Secretary of Health and Human Services under specified civil rights laws; (2) requires grantees and subgrantees to protect the confidentiality of victim information per Violence Against Women Act standards (with congressional oversight exceptions that omit personally identifying information, preemption of lesser protections, and nondisclosure of shelter locations without authorization); (3) bars income eligibility standards or fees for assistance or services; and (4) requires funds to supplement, not supplant, other Federal, state, Tribal, or local funds.

This section repeals and replaces the authorization of appropriations for the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), which provides formula grants to states and tribes, technical assistance, and other support for domestic violence prevention and victim services. (As background, FVPSA programs serve victims through state-administered services, tribal grants, state coalitions, training centers, and hotlines.) It authorizes $270 million for FY2027 through FY2031 (previously $175 million for FY2011 through FY2015) for grants under specified sections, with allocations as follows: (1) not less than 12.5% reserved for tribal grants under sec. 309 (previously 10% of funds not reserved for other purposes); of the remainder, (2) not less than 70% for state formula grants under sec. 306(a) (previously 70% of funds not reserved), (3) not less than 6% for technical assistance and training centers under sec. 310 (previously 6%), (4) not less than 10% for state domestic violence coalitions under sec. 311 and 3% for tribal coalitions under sec. 311A (previously 10% combined for state coalitions), (5) not less than 5% for specialized services under sec. 312 (new), (6) not less than 2.5% for culturally specific services under sec. 313C (new), and (7) not more than 3.5% for administration, evaluation, and monitoring (previously 2.5%). It further authorizes an additional $5 million annually for culturally specific services under sec. 313C. The section separately authorizes the following for FY2027 through FY2031: $20.5 million for the national domestic violence hotline under sec. 313 (previously $3.5 million for FY2011 through FY2015); $4 million for the National Indian Domestic Violence Hotline under sec. 313A (new); $26 million for domestic violence prevention enhancement and leadership through alliances under sec. 314 (previously $6 million for FY2011 through FY2015); $10 million for grants for underserved populations under sec. 313B (new); and $3.5 million for program evaluation under sec. 304(c) (new).

This section expands the Secretary of Health and Human Services' authorities under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act by (1) authorizing grants or contracts to for-profit or nonprofit nongovernmental entities or institutions of higher education, including to support and evaluate demonstration or discretionary projects in response to current and emerging issues; (2) updating the referenced reauthorization act in grant regulations from the CAPTA Reauthorization Act of 2010 to the Family Violence Prevention and Services Improvement Act of 2026; (3) authorizing flexibilities in grant terms and waivers of program requirements (including matching requirements) during major disasters, emergencies, or public health emergencies declared under specified statutes; (4) expanding technical assistance to the prevention of, intervention in, and provision of services for family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence (from prevention and treatment of such violence); and (5) authorizing grants or contracts for family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence research or evaluation. The section further authorizes the Secretary to conduct program evaluations through grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts.

This section revises the allotment formula for funds appropriated for Family Violence Prevention and Services grants to states (i.e., grants under section 306(a) for programs to prevent family violence, provide shelter and related assistance to victims, and support state domestic violence coalitions) by providing a $600,000 base allotment to each state and territory—including Guam, American Samoa, the United States Virgin Islands, and the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands—with remaining funds allotted by population solely to the 50 states (previously, territories received not less than 1/8 of 1 percent—0.125 percent—each of total funds available, states received a $600,000 base, and remaining funds were allotted by population to all states). It also (1) updates a cross-reference in subsection (e) from "under section 314" to "under this title" for continued availability of allotted funds and (2) strikes subsection (f).

This section modifies the formula grants to states for family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence prevention and victim services (42 U.S.C. 10406) by— (1) in subsection (a)(2), expanding services to victims and their children and dependents (from dependents); (2) in subsection (a)(3), adding Indians and members of Indian Tribes, or members of racial and ethnic minority populations as eligible for specialized services; (3) in subsection (c)(1), changing the cross-reference for limitations on disclosure of confidential information to section 302A (from paragraph (5)); (4) striking grant conditions prohibiting discrimination on the basis of age, disability, sex, race, color, national origin, sex, or religion and other requirements in former paragraphs (2), (3), (5), and (6); and (5) redesignating the former paragraph (4) matching requirement as new paragraph (2), capitalizing "Indian Tribe," and adding authority for the Secretary to waive all or part of the match for any fiscal year for an eligible entity if applying it would cause serious hardship or an inability to carry out the activities.

This section revises state application requirements for grants under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA)—which supports domestic violence shelters, counseling, advocacy, and related services—by making the following changes to Section 307: (1) In subsection (a), deeming a state's FVPSA application to be a "State plan" for purposes of certification requirements under the STOP Violence Against Women formula grant program (34 U.S.C. 10446(c)(3)); requiring assurances that no more than 5% of funds are used for administrative costs and the remainder distributed to eligible entities for approved activities under sections 308(a) and (b); requiring descriptions of special emphasis on community-based nonprofit projects providing shelter or counseling, advocacy, and self-help services to victims and dependents; requiring descriptions of how services promote trauma-informed care, autonomy, and privacy (including in shelter design and delivery); expanding State planning, coordination, and monitoring to include establishment of service standards and best practices for grantees with cultural and legal relevance for Indian Tribes and cultural relevance for underserved racial, ethnic, Tribal, and other populations; updating references to include section 302A; capitalizing "Tribal" and "Tribe" throughout; and adding "remove or exclude" to requirements barring perpetrators from shelters. (2) In subsection (b), capitalizing "Tribe" and updating references to include sections 302A and 306(c).

This section revises subgrant requirements and permissible uses of funds for states under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA), which provides emergency shelter and supportive services to adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence (and their children and dependents). Specifically, it (1) replaces references to victims' "dependents" with "children and dependents" throughout; (2) in permissible uses of funds, adds shelter and supportive services for underserved populations; expands culturally and linguistically appropriate services to explicitly include underserved racial and ethnic populations, persons with disabilities, and others; requires language assistance (e.g., translation, interpreters) for victims with limited English proficiency or disabilities and services enabling full participation by victims with disabilities; and authorizes partnerships to enhance service design and delivery; (3) updates eligibility for subgrants to prioritize organizations providing culturally specific services to underserved populations (including those without prior violence-specific experience if partnered with qualified entities) and allows local public agencies; and (4) specifies that participation in supportive services is voluntary and receipt of shelter benefits cannot be conditioned on such participation.

This section makes technical and conforming amendments to the grants to Indian Tribes provision (Sec. 309). Specifically, it (1) in subsection (a), updates the cross-reference to the tribal consultations requirement to 34 U.S.C. 20126 (from 42 U.S.C. 14045d), capitalizes "Tribal" and "Indian Tribes," and revises the funding reference to amounts under section 303 made available (from section 303(a)(2)(B)); (2) in subsection (b), capitalizes "Indian Tribe" and "Tribal organization" each place they appear; and (3) in subsection (d), adds section 302A to the cited provisions (in addition to 306(c)).

This section revises grants for national resource centers and training and technical assistance centers on family violence, domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, sex trafficking, and stalking. Specifically, in subsection (a)(2), it (1) modifies the funding source to grants under section 303 made available for this section; (2) in subparagraph (A), increases grants related to family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence to 11 (from 7), and adds an Alaska Native Tribal resource center on domestic violence to reduce Tribal disparities and a Native Hawaiian resource center on domestic violence to reduce Native Hawaiian disparities; and (3) in subparagraph (B), specifies grants to entities focusing on housing needs of victims and their children and dependents, leadership development for advocates from underserved populations, or other emerging issues. In subsection (b), it (1) makes technical and terminology changes, including inserting "and dependents" after "children," adding "online" before "central" information repository, capitalizing "Tribes" and "Tribal organizations," and updating statutory references to 34 U.S.C. 10452 note; and (2) expands the purposes of training centers in paragraph (2) to include protective orders, batterers' intervention programming, responses to charged/incarcerated/re-entering victims, health advocacy, mental health/substance use disorder responses, services for victims underserved due to sexual orientation or gender identity, responses to victims with disabilities (including accessibility modifications and cross-training with disability providers), and capacity-building for State/Tribal Domestic Violence Coalitions and fund administrators.

This section revises grants to State Domestic Violence Coalitions (i.e., statewide organizations funded under the Violence Against Women Act to coordinate intervention and prevention of domestic violence, dating violence, and family violence) as follows: (1) bases fund allotments on amounts appropriated under section 303 and made available to carry out this section (from amounts appropriated under section 303(a)(2)(D)); (2) restructures permissible uses of funds under subsection (d) by requiring coalitions to (A) encourage comprehensive responses to, and evidence-informed prevention of, such violence; (B) participate in planning and monitoring state subgrants under section 10408(a); (C) collaborate with service providers on responses involving victims with children and dependents; and (D) collaborate with Indian Tribes and Tribal organizations (or Alaska Native or Native Hawaiian groups or communities), while permitting (rather than requiring) provision of technical assistance, including on mental health and substance use disorders (Thus, some prior required activities become optional, and prevention and Tribal collaboration are newly mandatory.); (3) strikes paragraph (8) of subsection (d) and makes conforming terminology changes (e.g., "co-occurrence of child abuse" for "child abuse is present"); (4) strikes subsection (e); and (5) makes technical changes, including redesignating subsections (f) through (h) as (e) through (g) and capitalizing "Tribes" and "Tribal."

This section establishes grants to Tribal Domestic Violence Coalitions beginning in FY2027, using amounts appropriated under section 303 of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA). (FVPSA supports family violence prevention and services, including grants to state coalitions under section 311.) Eligible coalitions serving Indian Tribes must submit applications documenting their qualifications and experience; grant funds may be used for (1) working with local Tribal programs on training, technical assistance, and needs assessments; (2) participating in state subgrant planning under section 308(a); (3) collaborating with service providers and organizations; (4) developing policies with housing, health care, education, and law enforcement entities; (5) supporting Tribal policies, protocols, and programs for victims; (6) encouraging responses by judicial and law enforcement agencies; (7) addressing child custody issues involving violence or abuse; (8) public information on prevention; (9) facilitating Tribal participation in federal and state consultations; and (10) providing direct victim services under section 308(b). Unawarded funds after six months are reallocated equally to qualifying coalitions.

This section modifies the grant program to expand the capacity of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence service programs—now specified to include culturally specific community-based programs—to serve children and youth exposed to such violence and to support the caregiving capacity of adult victims (42 U.S.C. 10412) as follows: (1) extends initial grant periods to 3 years (from not more than 2 years) and renewal grants to one additional 2-year period (from not more than 2 years); (2) expands eligible entities to include State domestic violence services agencies and culturally specific organizations that have a demonstrated record of serving adult and child victims of such violence (previously, local agencies, nonprofit private organizations, or tribal organizations serving victims and their children); (3) revises application requirements to include (A) prioritizing the safety and confidentiality of adult and child victims; (B) providing trauma-informed, developmentally appropriate, age-appropriate, and culturally and linguistically appropriate services to children, youth, and their adult caregivers; (C) ensuring training for professionals that addresses the unique needs of such children and youth, provides for their safety and that of their non-abusing parents, and improves interventions, service delivery, and treatments; and (D) describing prevention activities targeting child and youth victims; (4) specifies grant funds may be used for direct counseling, services, or advocacy for child, youth, and adult victims, including through the health system; for partnerships with health, education, or other community-based organizations serving adult and child victims; and for trauma-informed training and youth respite care, including through health services; and (5) requires grantees to participate in an evaluation, including information on grant activities (previously, grant agreements were to contain an evaluation component).

This section expands the National Domestic Violence Hotline grant program to include digital services in addition to the 24-hour, toll-free telephonic hotline and revises related requirements. (The program awards grants to private entities to provide information and assistance to adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, as well as their family and household members and others affected by such victimization.) Specifically, the section: (1) requires the hotline and digital services to provide information about healthy relationships for adults and youth, with grant priority for applicants experienced in both; (2) revises application requirements to include plans for digital services (e.g., publicizing availability, access for those with limited English proficiency or disabilities including deaf/hard of hearing or blind/visual impairments, youth services via national youth dating violence hotline or other digital resources); changes "hotline personnel" to "advocacy personnel"; and requires demonstrations of ability to offer referrals, direct connections to providers, crisis interventions meeting provider standards, and healthy relationship information; (3) updates purposes to cover digital services users; requires a 24-hour toll-free telephone line and internet service provider for accessible digital formats (including TTY, interpreter services, and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines compliance); emphasizes counseling, referrals, and connections on a 24-hour basis; and expands outreach to underserved racial/ethnic, Tribal, disability, and other populations via accommodations and training.

This section establishes a grant program under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act to fund a Tribal organization or private nonprofit entity in operating a 24-hour national toll-free telephone hotline and digital services for Indian adult and youth victims of family violence, domestic violence, or dating violence, as well as their family and household members and other affected individuals. Grants are awarded for up to five years, subject to annual Secretary approval and appropriations availability, to eligible entities demonstrating expertise in Indian victim services, support from Tribal programs, capacity to maintain a hotline and database of Tribal resources, and compliance with nondisclosure requirements. (As background, the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act authorizes federal funding for domestic violence prevention, shelters, and related services.) Grantees must provide culturally appropriate services informed by federal Indian law and Tribal laws; train personnel on these topics, healthy relationships, and referrals; publicize the hotline; accommodate limited English proficiency, disabilities (e.g., TTY and interpreters), and youth victims; and maintain an updated database of Tribal victim services.

This section establishes a new grant program under the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) to support communities in preventing and addressing family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence among underserved populations. The Secretary, acting through the Director of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Program, awards planning and implementation grants of up to five years (extendable in extraordinary circumstances) to eligible entities—population-specific organizations with relevant expertise or partnerships, or victim service providers offering population-specific services—for capacity building, planning, development, or implementation of culturally and linguistically appropriate, community-driven strategies. (Thus, grantees must address barriers to services, raise awareness, and promote community engagement; and they may expand collaborations, conduct needs assessments, procure training, develop sustainability plans, collect data, and evaluate activities.) The section further authorizes evaluation grants, cooperative agreements, or contracts exclusively for prior planning and implementation grantees to conduct additional data analysis, program evaluations (including process and outcome measures), and dissemination of findings.

This section revises the domestic violence prevention program (42 U.S.C. 10414) to authorize three new grant programs funded from appropriations under section 303(d) of the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act—(1) grants or cooperative agreements to State Domestic Violence Coalitions and Tribal Domestic Violence Coalitions to build organizational capacity and leadership for primary and secondary prevention of family violence, domestic violence, and dating violence, including training, technical assistance, advocacy, dissemination of strategies, and subgrants to local programs; (2) grants or cooperative agreements to eligible coalitions partnering with local representatives from sectors such as health care, education, justice, faith-based organizations, and culturally specific community groups to implement and test innovative prevention models (particularly for culturally specific or traditionally underserved populations) or scale up models with promising or demonstrated effectiveness, for terms of up to five fiscal years; and (3) grants to eligible entities to expand community and systems capacity for effective primary and secondary prevention efforts. (As background, the program previously authorized five-year cooperative agreements solely with State Domestic Violence Coalitions for coordinated community prevention projects; the revision explicitly includes Tribal coalitions, emphasizes evidence-building and scaling, and funds these activities through specified appropriations.) All programs require applications demonstrating capacity and outcomes, with reporting requirements for coalition grants.

This section revises demonstration projects authorized under the Public Health Service Act to prevent violence among adolescents. Specifically, it (1) expands eligible projects to include those reducing the incidence of teen dating violence and increasing abuse awareness, education, and prevention; and (2) authorizes $10 million for each of FY2027 through FY2031 (from $5 million for FY1993 and such sums as necessary for FY1994 through FY1997).

This section provides that if any provision of this Act (including an amendment made by this Act) or its application to any person, entity, government, or circumstance is held unconstitutional, the remainder of the Act (including its amendments) and the application of such provision to other persons, entities, governments, or circumstances shall not be affected.