State Access and Visitation Grant Application

The Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act of 1996 (PRWORA) created the “Grants to States for Access and Visitation” program (AV grant program). Funding for the program began in FY 1997 with a capped, annual entitlement of $10 million. The statutory goal of the program is to provide funds to states that will enable them to provide services for the purpose of increasing noncustodial parent (NCP) access to and visitation with their children. State governors decide which state entity will be responsible for implementing the AV grant program and the state determines who will be served, what services will be provided, and whether the services will be statewide or in local jurisdictions. The statute specifies certain activities which may be funded, including: voluntary and mandatory mediation, counseling, education, the development of parenting plans, supervised visitation, and the development of guidelines for visitation and alternative custody arrangements. Even though OCSE manages this program, the funding for the AV grant is separate from funding for federal and state administration of the Child Support program. Section 469B(e)(3) of the Social Security Act (Pub.L.104-193) requires that each state receiving an Access and Visitation (AV) grant award monitor, evaluate and report on such programs in accordance with regulations (45 CFR Part 303). The AV Grant Program Terms and Conditions Addendum references administration of the grant program in accordance with an approved state application. Additionally, the Catalog of Federal Domestic Assistance, states that there is an application requirement for Grants to States for Access and Visitation Programs (93.597). The application process assists OCSE in complying with this requirement and is reflective of a greater emphasis on program efficiency, coordination of services, and increased attention to family safety. We respectfully request OMB to extend the approval, without any changes, to the existing AV Grant Application (Attachment A). The application compiles information on actions and decisions related to program priorities, program administration, and program safeguards made by grantees in fulfilling their statutory responsibilities in using grant funds to increase noncustodial parent access to and visitation with their children. As such, completion of the application requires minimum burden for grantees with one application submitted in a 3 year cycle. However, the grantee is required to provide updated information to OCSE if a grantee planned to make substantive programmatic or administrative changes during the three-year period covered by the application.

The latest form for State Access and Visitation Grant Application expires 2022-05-31 and can be found here.