About OFVPS

The Office of Family Violence Prevention and Services (OFVPS) within the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), administers the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA).

Enacted into law since 1984 under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act (42 U.S.C. § 10401 -10414 ), the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act (FVPSA) funds the federal response system to ensure vital crisis services and shelters are available to individuals experiencing domestic violence, dating violence, and family violence and their dependents. 

The FVPSA statute requires HHS to provide formula grants to states (42 U.S.C. § 10403(a)(2)(A); 42 U.S.C. § 10406); and tribes (42 U.S.C. § 10403(a)(2)(B); 42 U.S.C. § 10409); to provide funding for training and technical assistance centers (42 U.S.C. § 10403(a)(2)(C); 42 U.S.C. § 10410); to fund state domestic violence coalitions (42 U.S.C. § 10403(a)(2)(D); 42 U.S.C. § 10411); to provide specialized services for abused parents and children (42 U.S.C. § 10412): and to fund one or more national, toll-free hotline for adult and youth victims of domestic violence (42 U.S.C. § 10403(b); 42 U.S.C. § 10413).

In terms of addressing domestic violence the reach of FVPSA annual funds and supplemental funds is broad:

• FVPSA-funded state and tribal shelters provided 16,993,979 million shelter nights for domestic violence survivors and their families.   
• FVPSA funded local programs responded to 4,815,135 million crisis calls and provided emergency shelter and supportive services to 2,445,116 million survivors of domestic violence. 
• FVPSA funded programs served 1,592,490 women; 550,601 children; and 186,940 men who were all victims of domestic violence. 
• FVPSA funded shelters and programs provided community education about crisis services, violence prevention, and healthy relationships to 13,515,839 people nationwide.