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- By Elyse Wild
Exclusive. The U.S. The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced on Wednesday morning a $15 million investment in the nation's first culturally centered domestic violence hotline for Native Americans, addressing the gap in services for the most violence-affected demographic in the United States.
The five-year grant, administered through the Administration for Children and Families, will fund the National Indigenous Domestic Violence Hotline, operated by StrongHearts Native Helpline.
StrongHearts Native Helpline launched in 2017 as a collaboration between the National Indigenous Women's Resource Center and the National Domestic Violence Hotline, specifically designed to reach underserved Native families. In 2021, the organization evolved into an independent non-profit.
Since its inception in 2017, StrongHearts has handled 67,000 points of contact from people seeking support. In 2024 alone, the hotline managed 13,520 calls, texts, and chats.
The HHS grant is approximately the amount of financial support StrongHearts has received from the National Domestic Violence Hotline over the years. StrongHearts CEO Lori Jump (Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa) told Native News Online that the grant marks a positive shift in the organziation's relationship with the federal government as a grantee, versus as a subgrantee.
"That's the biggest change this will be is we will have a direct relationship, rather than a sub-grantee relationship," Jump said. "We're honored that they see the value the work our advocates are doing, and want to see us continue."
Four out of five American Indian and Alaska Native women experience violence in their lifetimes, with rates of domestic and sexual violence significantly higher than among non-Native women. According to the latest data, more than 56 percent of Native people have been victims of intimate partner violence.
Despite experiencing the highest rates of domestic violence of any demographic in the United States, Native people historically call traditional hotlines for assistance the least.
Less than half of tribal nations have domestic violence resources to offer their relatives — meaning mainstream programs that aren't culturally-centered are the only option for those in Indian Country seeking assistance.
"We know that our relatives have difficulty going to mainstream programs, but sometimes that's all there is to offer," Jump said. "What's important here is just access to culturally sensitive, culturally honoring services."
The National Indigenous Domestic Violence Hotline, accessible at 1-844-762-8483, provides confidential support through phone calls, text messaging, and online chat 24/7.
When individuals contact the hotline, advocates prioritize connecting them to resources on their reservation or in their local area.
In 2024, StrongHearts made 4,330 referrals to Native providers and 1,250 referrals to non-Native providers, demonstrating their commitment to culturally appropriate care when possible.
The hotline provides a comprehensive range of services, including:
Crisis Intervention and Safety Planning: Immediate support during dangerous situations and assistance with developing personalized safety strategies.
Domestic Violence Education: Information and resources to help survivors understand their situations and options.
Specialized Referrals: Connections to Native-centered domestic violence and sexual violence service providers, as well as health facilities and crisis centers trained in caring for sexual assault survivors.
Legal Support: General information about jurisdiction issues and referrals to legal advocacy services, crucial given the complex jurisdictional landscape in Indian Country.
Emergency Shelter: More than 1,000 callers in 2024 were seeking shelter assistance, highlighting the acute housing crisis many survivors face.
Data from StrongHearts reveals the multifaceted nature of domestic violence. Among those seeking help, 35 percent reported emotional abuse, 23 percent reported physical abuse, and others experienced sexual, digital, and cultural abuse.
For those living in the most remote corners of Indian Country were assistance is scarce or non-existent, Jump said validation and connection are crucial means of support the hotline offers.
"Our first step is to make sure that they're safe, not just physically, but also emotionally," Jump said. "It's hard when they're in those remote situations where we don't have resources for them. Sometimes, connecting, talking it through, being validated, and being empowered to make decisions for themselves is really, really important."
Senior Advisor to the Secretary of Health and Human Services Mark Cruz (Klamath Tribe) told Native News Online that he hopes that the grant will help support the hotline in creating positive outcomes for families in Indian Country living with domestic violence — and that lawmakers continue to sustain that support beyond the five-year grant period.
"It's our hope that we're able to help address these people in their moments of need, and that Congress and future administrations will see the need to continue to champion this program," Cruz said.
Cruz also pointed to the role domestic violence intervention has in the ongoing Missing and Murdered Indigenous Peoples (MMIP) crisis.
"Tribes and tribal community organizations have been working really hard to address some of those systemic failures and looking for opportunities and resources to help law enforcement actually reopen cold cases, a lot of which require collaboration between the DOJ and the FBI and other law enforcement jurisdictions," Cruz said. "And we know from those efforts there are shortcomings around domestic violence support, and that it is a precursor before you get to those actual missing and murders."
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