H.R. 4510: Healing Partnerships for Survivors Act

This bill, titled the Healing Partnerships for Survivors Act, aims to enhance support for survivors of sexual assault through a series of grant provisions and partnerships among various health and community organizations. Here’s a breakdown of its key components:

Grants for Enhanced Support

The bill proposes to amend the Family Violence Prevention and Services Act, allowing the Secretary of Health and Human Services to award grants. These grants are intended to:

• Support partnerships between health and wellness providers, behavioral health programs, disability programs, and community-based sexual assault programs.
• Develop and implement improved systems of support for survivors of sexual assault.

Eligible Entities

To qualify for these grants, organizations must be one of the following:

• State sexual assault coalitions.
• Territorial sexual assault coalitions.
• Tribal coalitions.
• Nonprofit community-based sexual assault programs, such as rape crisis centers or culturally specific organizations.
• Indian tribes or tribal organizations.

Use of Grant Funds

Entities that receive funding must use the grant money to:

• Develop a program that fosters partnerships with health and wellness providers to create trauma-informed, culturally relevant services.
• Implement services like prevention, screening, therapy, housing assistance, and personal advocacy.
• Support adult survivors of childhood sexual abuse while they receive healthcare or substance-use treatment.
• Provide training for staff and service partners involved in these programs.

Reporting and Evaluation

Grant recipients are required to submit reports to the Secretary, detailing:

• The activities funded by the grants.
• Evaluations of the effectiveness and impact of these activities.
• Any additional information deemed necessary.

Privacy Protections

The bill emphasizes the importance of protecting the privacy and confidentiality of survivors. Entities receiving grants must ensure that their programs comply with applicable privacy laws and standards.

Technical Assistance and Training

A portion of the funds will also be allocated for training and technical assistance to ensure that grantees can effectively implement their programs. This includes:

• Providing guidance to organizations receiving grants.
• Evaluating existing programs.
• Disseminating best practices.

Budget Provisions

The bill authorizes an appropriation of $30,000,000 for each fiscal year from 2026 to 2030 to carry out these provisions.

Definition of Sexual Assault

The bill adopts the definition of sexual assault as established in previous legislation, ensuring clarity and consistency in its application.

Changes to Existing Laws

The bill proposes modifications to existing laws relating to family violence and sexual assault to explicitly include sexual assault alongside other forms of violence.

Relevant Companies

None found.