Safe havens for children

42 U.S.C.A. § 10420
Safe havens for children
(a) In general
The Attorney General, through the Director of the Office on Violence Against Women, may
award grants to States, units of local government, and Indian tribal governments that propose to
enter into or expand the scope of existing contracts and cooperative agreements with public or
private nonprofit entities
(1) to provide supervised visitation and safe visitation exchange of children by and between
parents in situations involving domestic violence, dating violence, child abuse, sexual assault,
or stalking;
(2) to protect children from the trauma of witnessing domestic or dating violence or
experiencing abduction, injury, or death during parent and child visitation exchanges;
(3) to protect parents or caretakers who are victims of domestic and dating violence from
experiencing further violence, abuse, and threats during child visitation exchanges; and
(4) to protect children from the trauma of experiencing sexual assault or other forms of
physical assault or abuse during parent and child visitation and visitation exchanges.
(b) Considerations
In awarding grants under subsection (a), the Attorney General shall take into account—
(1) the number of families to be served by the proposed visitation programs and services;
(2) the extent to which the proposed supervised visitation programs and services serve
underserved populations (as defined in section 3796gg-2 of this title);
(3) with respect to an applicant for a contract or cooperative agreement, the extent to which
the applicant demonstrates cooperation and collaboration with nonprofit, nongovernmental
entities in the local community served, including the State or tribal domestic violence
coalition, State or tribal sexual assault coalition, local shelters, and programs for domestic
violence and sexual assault victims; and
(4) the extent to which the applicant demonstrates coordination and collaboration with State
and local court systems, including mechanisms for communication and referral.
(c) Applicant requirements
The Attorney General shall award grants for contracts and cooperative agreements to applicants
that—

(1) demonstrate expertise in the area of family violence, including the areas of domestic
violence or sexual assault, as appropriate;
(2) ensure that any fees charged to individuals for use of programs and services are based on
the income of those individuals, unless otherwise provided by court order;
(3) demonstrate that adequate security measures, including adequate facilities, procedures, and
personnel capable of preventing violence, are in place for the operation of supervised
visitation programs and services or safe visitation exchange; and
(4) prescribe standards by which the supervised visitation or safe visitation exchange will
occur.
(d) Reporting
(1) In general
Not later than 1 month after the end of each even-numbered fiscal year, the Attorney General
shall submit to Congress a report that includes information concerning—
(A) the number of—
(i) individuals served and the number of individuals turned away from visitation programs
and services and safe visitation exchange (categorized by State);
(ii) the number of individuals from underserved populations served and turned away from
services; and
(iii) the type of problems that underlie the need for supervised visitation or safe visitation
exchange, such as domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, other physical abuse, or a
combination of such factors;
(B) the numbers of supervised visitations or safe visitation exchanges ordered under this
section during custody determinations under a separation or divorce decree or protection
order, through child protection services or other social services agencies, or by any other
order of a civil, criminal, juvenile, or family court;
(C) the process by which children or abused partners are protected during visitations,
temporary custody transfers, and other activities for which supervised visitation is established
under this section;
(D) safety and security problems occurring during the reporting period during supervised
visitation under this section, including the number of parental abduction cases; and

(E) the number of parental abduction cases in a judicial district using supervised visitation
programs and services under this section, both as identified in criminal prosecution and
custody violations.
(2) Guidelines
The Attorney General shall establish guidelines for the collection and reporting of data under
this subsection.
(e) Authorization of appropriations
(1) In general
There is authorized to be appropriated to carry out this section, $20,000,000 for each of fiscal
years 2007 through 2011. Funds appropriated under this section shall remain available until
expended.
(2) Use of funds
Of the amounts appropriated to carry out this section for each fiscal year, the Attorney General
shall—
(A) use not more than 3 percent for evaluation, monitoring, site visits, grantee conferences,
and other administrative costs associated with conducting activities under this section; and
(B) set aside not more than 8 percent for technical assistance and training to be provided by
organizations having nationally recognized expertise in the design of safe and secure
supervised visitation programs and visitation exchange of children in situations involving
domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
(f) Allotment for Indian tribes
(1) In general
Not less than 10 percent of the total amount available under this section for each fiscal year
shall be available for grants under the program authorized by section 3796gg-10 of this title.
(2) Applicability of part
The requirements of this section shall not apply to funds allocated for the program described
in paragraph (1).