Tester Announces Funding to Help Protect Survivors of Domestic Abuse

(U.S. Senate)-Just weeks after announcing more than $2.8 million in funding for domestic abuse and sexual assault survivors across the state, Senator Jon Tester announced today that the Miles City’s Custer Network Against Domestic Abuse (CNADA) will receive $318,553 to support their transitional housing program.

“In the aftermath of traumatic events, survivors should not have to worry about where they will sleep at night,” said Tester. “This funding will help provide families with a safe place to heal and recover.”

The funding comes from the U.S. Department of Justice’s Office on Violence Against Women and is specifically allocated to help victims of sexual assault, domestic violence, and their families find temporary, transitional, and eventually permanent housing.

The DOJ’s Transitional Housing Grant Assistance Program is made possible by the 2012 Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, which Tester help get passed and ultimately signed into law. Tester also helped pass legislation that invests $481.5 million in the DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women earlier this year.

“I can’t tell you how thrilled we are to receive this grant again,” said Caroline Fleming, Executive Director of CNADA. “One thing that’s really difficult for these folks to come by is funding for housing, so this is an incredibly valuable help and a huge step towards self-sufficiency.”

CNADA is a nonprofit organization that serves the residents of Custer, Garfield, Powder River, Rosebud, and Treasure counties. They plan to partner with the Northern Cheyenne Healing Hearts Domestic Violence Program, the Office of Public Assistance, and the Homeless Task Force to provide 25 survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault with transitional housing for both themselves and their families.

As part of the $2.8 million in funding last month-also awarded by the DOJ’s Office on Violence Against Women-CNADA received $193,097 to help provide crisis response services, support groups, and professional trainings for law enforcement, health care providers and other groups who work with domestic and sexual assault survivors.