Safe Access for Victims’ Economic Security (SAVES) Demonstration | HHS 2022 ACF OCSE FD 0017

Opportunity Information: Apply for HHS 2022 ACF OCSE FD 0017

The Safe Access for Victims Economic Security (SAVES) Demonstration is a discretionary cooperative agreement opportunity from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Child Support Enforcement (OCSE), focused on improving safety and access within the child support system for survivors of domestic violence. The core purpose is twofold: first, to strengthen domestic violence-informed safety policies, procedures, and outreach in child support programs so victims are better protected when they engage with the system; and second, to reduce safety-related barriers that keep some parents from pursuing child support at all, even when that support could be a critical part of their financial stability.

Under SAVES, selected state and federally recognized tribal child support agencies will serve as demonstration sites that develop, test, and put into practice model approaches for safe access to child support services and parenting time services. The work is meant to be comprehensive rather than piecemeal, emphasizing consistent screening, informed decision-making, and protocols that account for risks to victims and their children. A major theme is building processes that do not unintentionally expose a survivor to further harm, such as through inappropriate information sharing, unsafe contact requirements, or case actions that escalate risk.

Projects funded through SAVES are expected to cover several major activity areas. These include public and victim education and outreach so survivors understand their options and protections; training for child support staff and relevant partners so policies are applied correctly and consistently; and the development or strengthening of good cause protections for victims who receive public benefits but face child support cooperation requirements, ensuring survivors can avoid actions that would endanger them. Grantees are also expected to implement domestic violence expert-informed case processing policies and protocols that address both victim and perpetrator dynamics, and to establish specialized domestic violence triage teams that can assess cases, guide safety planning within the child support context, and help determine appropriate case handling steps. Importantly, the triage concept is not just about identifying risk, but about building a structured, repeatable way to route cases into safer procedures and measure whether those procedures are working.

OCSE frames SAVES as a cross-systems effort, meaning applicants are expected to coordinate beyond the child support agency itself. Grantees should actively engage public assistance agencies, courts, and state and local domestic violence service providers to build a coordinated response that supports survivors economic security and connects them to broader safety net resources. This reflects the reality that survivors often interact with multiple systems at once, and that inconsistent policies or communication gaps between agencies can create safety risks or prevent families from receiving the supports they qualify for.

SAVES sites will not work in isolation. In addition to peer-to-peer learning opportunities, they will receive technical assistance, training, and research support from a separate SAVES Center grantee referenced in a companion forecast (HHS-2022-ACF-OCSE-FD-0018). OCSE also points applicants to existing policy guidance that informs this work, including materials on collaboration and domestic violence awareness (IM-14-03), safe access to child support services (IM-15-02), and model procedures for domestic violence cases (IM-19-06), which collectively signal the kinds of practices and protections OCSE expects programs to build upon.

From a funding and administrative standpoint, this opportunity (HHS-2022-ACF-OCSE-FD-0017) is a cooperative agreement, which generally indicates more ongoing federal involvement and collaboration than a standard grant. Eligible applicants are state governments and federally recognized Native American tribal governments. OCSE anticipated making up to 16 awards. The award ceiling listed is $420,000 for the first year, and the project period lasts five years, divided into five separate budget periods. The synopsis notes that continuation funding of up to $210,000 per year is expected for years 2 through 5, bringing the forecasted total project budget to $1,260,000 over the full five-year period. The original application deadline was June 1, 2022, with electronic submissions due by 11:59 pm Eastern Time on the due date.

• The Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families - OCSE in the income security and social services sector is offering a public funding opportunity titled "Safe Access for Victims’ Economic Security (SAVES) Demonstration" and is now available to receive applicants.
• Interested and eligible applicants and submit their applications by referencing the CFDA number(s): 93.564.
• This funding opportunity was created on Feb 28, 2022.
• Applicants must submit their applications by Jun 01, 2022 Electronically submitted applications must be submitted no later than 1159 pm Eastern Standard Time on the listed application due date.. (Agency may still review applications by suitable applicants for the remaining/unused allocated funding in 2026.)
• Each selected applicant is eligible to receive up to $420,000.00 in funding.
• The number of recipients for this funding is limited to 16 candidate(s).
• Eligible applicants include: State governments, Native American tribal governments (Federally recognized).

Apply for HHS 2022 ACF OCSE FD 0017

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