Medical Forensic Access Initiative (WH-AST-26-004) is sponsored by U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Office on Women's Health (OWH). This initiative focuses on improving medical forensic access for victims of violence. By enhancing support systems for women who have experienced violence, it indirectly contributes to their ability to rebuild their lives and potentially engage in entrepreneurial endeavors.

U.S. Department of Health & Human Services The Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health, Office on Women's Health (OWH) at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services administers grant programs to support innovative projects to address critical women's health issues. These projects provide information, advance policies, educate health care professionals and consumers, and support innovative programs.

Protecting and Rehabilitating Sexually Exploited Women and Girls Through Long-Term Safe Homes (WH-AST-26-001) Protecting Women and Girls through Founding and Replication of Existing Long-Term Safe Homes (WH-AST-26-002) NAVIGATE Reproductive Center of Excellence (Network for Assessment, Validation, Innovation, Guidance, Access, Treatment and Evaluation) (WH-AST-26-003) Medical Forensic Access Initiative (WH-AST-26-004) Protecting and Rehabilitating Sexually Exploited Women and Girls Through Long-Term Safe Homes Funding Opportunity Number: WH-AST-26-001 Estimated Total: $7,600,0000 Award Amount: Up to $2,000,000 Application Due Date: July 20, 2026 This notice solicits applications for initiatives that seek to address sexual violence by providing safe homes for sexually exploited and/or abused women or girls.

These safe homes must provide longer-term housing for months or years—sufficient to serve the rehabilitative needs of the populations served—as opposed to emergency shelter, along with comprehensive multidisciplinary care that addresses the physical, psychological, emotional, social, and educational needs of the girls and/or women they serve.

Grantees are expected to strengthen partnerships between state- and/or community-level providers which may include healthcare systems, domestic or sexual violence organizations, law enforcement, behavioral health providers, substance use disorder treatment providers, or education providers.

By partnering with these and other statewide organizations, these safe homes would: Improve healthcare providers' ability to help victims of violence and Improve prevention of further violence and re-traumatization by providing female victims of sexual exploitation and/or abuse with the comprehensive, therapeutic, and around-the-clock staffed care that they need.

Protecting Women and Girls through Founding and Replication of Existing Long-Term Safe Homes Funding Opportunity Number: WH-AST-26-002 Estimated Total: $1,900,000 Award Amount: Up to $1,900,000 Application Due Date: July 20, 2026 This notice solicits applications for initiatives that seek to address sexual violence by founding or replicating new safe homes for sexually exploited and/or abused women or girls.

These safe homes must provide longer-term housing for months or years—sufficient to serve the rehabilitative needs of the populations served—as opposed to emergency shelter, along with comprehensive multidisciplinary care that addresses the physical, psychological, emotional, social, and educational needs of the girls and women they serve.

Grantees are expected to strengthen partnerships between state- and/or community-level providers which may include healthcare systems, domestic or sexual violence organizations, law enforcements, behavioral health providers, substance use disorder treatment providers, or education providers.

By partnering with healthcare and community organizations, these safe homes would: Improve healthcare providers' ability to help victims of violence and Improve prevention of further violence and re-traumatization by providing female victims of sexual exploitation and/or abuse with the comprehensive, therapeutic, and staffed, around-the-clock care that they need.

NAVIGATE Reproductive Center of Excellence (Network for Assessment, Validation, Innovation, Guidance, Access, Treatment and Evaluation) Funding Opportunity Number: WH-AST-26-003 Estimated Total: $500,000 Award Amount: Up to $500,000 (with required organizational matching) Application Due Date: July 24, 2026 This notice solicits applications from organizations with demonstrated experience in the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of reproductive health conditions, which may include polyendocrine metabolic ovarian syndrome (PMOS, formerly known as polycystic ovary syndrome or PCOS), endometriosis, uterine fibroids, infertility, pelvic inflammatory disease (PID), reproductive-age endocrine disorders, or recurrent miscarriage.

Through this cooperative agreement, selected organizations will be recognized and elevated as a Center of Excellence, building on their existing expertise to strengthen the translation of evidence into practice, enhance and standardize root-cause care pathways, expand workforce training, and improve health outcomes for women.

Medical Forensic Access Initiative Funding Opportunity Number: WH-AST-26-004 Estimated Total: $5,000,000 Award Amount: Up to $1,000,000 Application Due Date: July 27, 2026 This notice solicits applications for practical, data-driven, and scalable projects that support States, Tribal communities, healthcare systems, or community-based organizations in collecting, analyzing, and reporting information related to access to medical forensic examinations for women and girl survivors of sexual assault.

Projects funded under this initiative should: Identify barriers, service gaps, workforce shortages, geographic gaps, wait times, and system-level challenges impacting women and girl survivor access to timely, forensic healthcare services.

Support measurable systems improvement activities designed to strengthen forensic healthcare delivery, improve healthcare coordination, expand access to trained forensic examiners, enhance telehealth-enabled forensic care models, and improve the quality and consistency of services across healthcare systems.

Propose collaborative approaches involving healthcare providers, forensic nursing programs, public health agencies, Tribal entities, victim service organizations, academic institutions, telehealth partners, and/or multidisciplinary response systems to improve women and girl survivor access, care coordination, and/or healthcare system responsiveness.

Funding priorities may include: Improving statewide, Tribal, territorial, or regional data collection and reporting capacity related to forensic examinations; Identifying healthcare delivery gaps and underserved geographic areas; Expanding access to Sexual Assault Nurse Examiners (SANEs) and forensic healthcare workforce development initiatives; Strengthening tele-SANE, tele-forensic, and rural access models; Supporting evidence-based systems improvement and healthcare quality initiatives; Improving coordination across healthcare, victim service, and/or public health systems; and Enhancing women and girl survivor follow-up care, referral pathways, and continuity of services.