The Texas Health and Human Services Commission is receiving more than $3 million in federal funding to provide shelter and services to survivors of family and domestic violence during the COVID-19 pandemic.
This federal funding will support the 78 HHSC-funded local family violence centers that provide survivors with immediate shelter, supportive services, and access to community-based programs. These funds are made available through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act and will be administered through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Administration for Children and Families.
"The COVID-19 pandemic has presented challenging obstacles and uncertainty for many survivors of family violence across the state," said Dee Budgewater, HHS deputy executive commissioner for Health, Developmental and Independence Services. "This grant is a significant investment that will connect vulnerable Texans to critical services, shelter, and move them toward a life free of violence."
This new funding will provide direct support to 78 HHSC-funded local family violence centers working with survivors during the COVID-19 pandemic. It will also support a wide range of supportive services helping survivors become self-sufficient including temporary 24-hour shelter, counseling, mobile advocacy, telehealth, peer support, rental assistance, and relocation expenses. The funding also assists family violence centers to cover the costs of providing remote services to those in need.
