Virginia Releases Report on Enhancing Services to Youth Exposed to Domestic Violence   The Virginia Sexual & Domestic Violence Action Alliance (Action Alliance) released its report this week, “Enhancing Services to Children and Youth in Virginia Exposed to Domestic Violence”. The report is a culmination of a 3-year project project, funded by the U.S Department of Health and Human Services to enhance services to children, youth, and their non-abusing parents statewide. Virginia is one of only 9 states to receive this federal grant. In Virginia, an estimated 300,000 children are exposed to domestic violence each year, based on national data and state population rates. The Action Alliance collaborated with the Virginia Department of Social Services, mental health clinicians, Virginia Poverty Law Center and Tahirih Justice Center, and three community based domestic violence agencies (located in Virginia Beach, Prince William County, and Wytheville) to determine and evaluate achievable outcomes that would build a more comprehensive response to children and youth exposed to domestic violence. During the 3-year project, an Advisory Council of partner agencies defined comprehensive services for children, youth and non-abusing parents; conducted a statewide needs assessment of Virginia’s domestic violence programs, and developed plans to address gaps in services, which were identified by the results of the statewide needs assessment. Children and youth exposed to sexual or domestic violence are at great risk of depression, anger, difficulties in school, withdrawal, problems sleeping, substance use/abuse, and difficulty developing or maintaining relationships. In Virginia, currently no funding is dedicated to serving these children and youth who access the services of Virginia’s sexual and domestic violence agencies. To address these potentially devastating effects on Virginia’s children, the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance, Virginia’s coalition of individuals and organizations working to address sexual and domestic violence, will be working in the 2010 General Assembly to secure an increase in the marriage license fee in order to provide at least $600,000 in funding services for children and youth who have been exposed to sexual and domestic violence. The report is available at www.vsdavalliance.org (click on “What’s New”). For more information about the report or about advocating for more funding for children exposed to violence, contact the Action Alliance at 804.377.0335 or email info@vsdvalliance.org

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