Tools & Resources Performance Report Update: Legal Services

Performance Report Update: Legal Services

View program-specific reporting form instructions for more in-depth guidance on how to report grant-funded activities on the progress report.

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This document informs grantees of updates to the Legal Services section across the entire portfolio of OVW Semi-Annual Performance Reports. These updates will go into effect for the January–June 2025 reporting period. Grantees who have collected data under previous categories may need support during this transition. This document provides guidance, and grantees can reach out to vawamei@maine.edu at any time for technical assistance.

High-level Overview of Legal Services section changes:

  • The Legal Services section is no longer a separate, stand-alone section; instead, legal services questions are now part of the Victim Services section.
  • The number of legal issue categories has been reduced by consolidating categories.

What stayed the same:

  • Grantees will still answer a “funds used” question for legal services.
  • Grantees will still report on both the number of victims/survivors who received assistance with legal issues and those who received assistance with multiple legal issues during the current reporting period.
  • Grantees will still report on the number of victims/survivors receiving assistance within each legal issue category as it applies.
  • Grantees will still report on the number of cases closed or issues resolved during the current reporting period.

What changed:

  • All legal services questions are now located at the end of the Victim Services section on their respective forms, except for the Transitional Housing performance report, which contains additional housing questions at the end of the Victim Services section.
  • The following legal issue categories were consolidated under the broader category of “Family law matters”:
    • -Divorce, custody/visitation, establishment of paternity, child/spousal support, and other family law matters.
  • The following legal issue categories were consolidated under the broader category of “Immigration matters”:
    • -VAWA self-petition, cancellation of removal, U visa, T visa, and other immigration matters.
  • Grantees should sum data collected in the more specific categories and report the total in the applicable consolidated category.