The U.S. Department of Justice has awarded Northeastern University School of Law (NUSL) and two Boston-area legal services agencies $309,000 to provide civil legal services for battered women and their children. The money will allow NUSL, Greater Boston Legal Services, (GBLS) and the Legal Project at Casa Myrna Vazquez (CMV) to coordinate legal, social and medical services for victims of domestic violence.

Under the terms of the grant, Greater Boston Legal Services will create a domestic violence Intake and Advocacy Center at the Suffolk County Probate Court. Under subcontracts with GBLS, Northeastern University School of Law's Domestic Violence Clinic will expand its abuse prevention clinic at Dorchester District Court into a model Civil Protection Center and Casa Myrna Vazquez's Legal Project will hire a family law attorney to augment its capacity to represent battered women in complex custody and visitation litigation.

The grant will also fund a legal/medical liaison linking the three agencies with abuse prevention programs at six Boston area teaching hospitals--the Boston Medical Center and Children's, Massachusetts General, Brigham and Women's, Beth Israel Deaconess and Carney Hospitals. Formal linkage to the Women's Bar Association and Community Legal Services and Counseling Center will support private attorneys who represent battered women in family law litigation. Ongoing assessment of this new initiative will be provided by evaluators from NUSL's Domestic Violence Institute.