Rape Survivor Child Custody Act (RSCCA)
You may have seen this earlier today but in case you did not, please read the below announcement from Amy Loder/OVW:
Good afternoon.
Applications and certification letters for the Rape Survivor Child Custody Act (RSCCA) funds are due by 11:59 pm ET April 29, 2022. Documents must be submitted to OVW at OVW.RSCCA@usdoj.gov. OVW will not be able to consider a state’s application or certification if it is submitted after this date.
This is the seventh year that RSCCA funds are available to states and territories. A state or territory is eligible to receive RSCCA funding for a total of four years, which do not need to be consecutive. Several states have received RSCCA funding for a total of four years; therefore, they are not eligible to apply for funding in FY 2022. They are Alaska, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Indiana, Iowa. Louisiana, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, Texas, Vermont, Washington, and Wisconsin.
In FY 2022 there are two types of applicants: 1) those that received RSCCA funds previously; and 2) those that never received RSCCA funds. Required documents for each applicant type are listed below.
States that received Rape Survivor Child Custody Act funds previously
States that received RSCCA funds previously and wish to receive them again in FY 2022 must submit a letter addressed to the Principal Deputy Director of OVW stating that no changes have been made to state law and that the state is still in compliance with the requirements of the RSCCA. The letter must be signed by the state Attorney General or another state official with authority to make binding legal determinations.
States that never received Rape Survivor Child Custody Act funding
States that have never received RSCCA funding (i.e., those that applied but did not meet the requirements of the law or those applying for the first time) must submit a legal opinion stating that the state meets the requirements of the law and citing any statutory or case law or other authorities relied on in making the determination. This legal opinion may be in the form of a letter addressed to the Principal Deputy Director of OVW and must be signed by the state Attorney General or another state official with authority to make binding legal determinations. Although the information provided by the state will inform OVW’s decision, OVW will make the final eligibility determination.
Please contact your OVW program manager if you have any questions.
Best,
Amy
Thank you,
Barry