Comanche Nation Project Strong Life

OVC’s mission is to enhance the nation’s capacity to assist crime victims and provide leadership in changing policies and practices to promote justice and healing for all victims of crime. OVC achieves this mission, in part, by administering discretionary award programs supported by the federal Crime Victims Fund to develop innovative training and technical assistance, and to provide direct services to improve the overall quality of victim assistance. The purpose of this solicitation is to address an urgent gap in crime victim services related to the opioid epidemic and to expand upon existing or establish new programs to provide services to children and youth who are victimized as the result of the opioid crisis. Projects selected under this solicitation will support service providers in expanding their current scope and expertise to ensure that children and youth—the most vulnerable victims impacted by the opioid crisis—are supported as they heal from the impact of crime and substance abuse.

With this award, the Comanche Nation will support programming that will identify and assist Tribal youth who have been victimized as a result of opioid and other drug abuse. The Comanche Nation Prevention and Recovery Program will implement the Project Life program within the local community to provide needed services to our youngest victims. The overarching program goals are to expand direct care services for children, create an ongoing needs assessment and feedback system, and strengthen community partnerships. Trauma-informed, strengths-based case management services will be provided to meet the relationship and developmental needs of children and families who have been affected by opioid misuse and abuse. Participant needs will be assessed using a professional risk assessment and case management tool. The Comanche Nation will also work to identify and analyze local data sources in an effort to provide community education addressing the opioid epidemic within the local and surrounding communities. (CA/NCF)