On Sept. 12, Gov. Earl Ray Tomblin presented more than $9.3 million in grant funding to community support groups and justice programs across the state. The funding will be used to develop new programming and enhance existing initiatives to support West Virginia’s communities and state justice system.
“With this needed funding, community programs from all corners of our state will be better equipped to serve children and families and further strengthen West Virginia’s justice system.” Gov. Tomblin said. “We are expanding direct services to victims of crime, putting programs in place to help at-risk youth get back on track and preparing parents with the life skills they need to foster a healthy, nurturing environment to raise their families.”
The following Greenbrier County entities received funding:
• Greenbrier County Commission: $54,685. These funds will provide for the salary of a full-time victim services coordinator in the Greenbrier County Prosecuting Attorney’s office to provide direct services to crime victims in Greenbrier County.
• Child and Youth Advocacy Center: $88,469. These funds will provide for the salary of a full-time family advocate and full-time forensic interviewer, and a portion of the salaries of a full-time therapist and program director to provide direct services to child abuse victims and adult survivors of child sexual abuse in Greenbrier, Pocahontas, and Monroe counties.
• Family Refuge Center: $168,120. These funds will provide for a portion of the salaries of the full-time lead shelter advocate, a daytime shelter advocate, overnight shelter advocate, Monroe County advocate, Pocahontas County advocate, and part-time weekend shelter advocate, and victim advocate to provide direct services to victims of domestic violence and sexual assault in Greenbrier, Monroe, and Pocahontas counties.
• CASA of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit, Inc. $42,424. These funds will provide for a portion of the part-time salary of a volunteer coordinator and full-time program director to provide direct services to victims of child abuse in Greenbrier and Pocahontas counties.
The total grant funding was allocated as follows:
• $7,023,255 in Victims of Crime Act/Victim Assistance Grants – 75 grantees;
• $529, 254 in Justice Reinvestment Treatment Supervision Grants – 4 grantees;
• $1,203,175 in Justice Assistance Grants – 34 grantees;
• $543,222 in Juvenile Justice & Delinquency Grants – 18 grantees.