Governor Patrick Morrisey recently announced that he has awarded more than $16 million in West Virginia Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants to 83 projects across the state. VOCA funds provide direct services like counseling, personal advocacy, court advocacy, client transportation, and support services to victims of crimes including domestic violence, sexual violence, child abuse, and elder abuse. The funds will also support assistance to victims as they move through the criminal justice system.
“West Virginia is committed to ensuring victims of crime are treated with the dignity, respect, and care they deserve,” said Governor Morrisey. “These VOCA funds will aid the many organizations who play a critical, yet often unseen role in the criminal justice system.”
The funds, totaling $16,327,849, are received from the Office for Victims of Crime of the U.S. Department of Justice and administered by the West Virginia Division of Administrative Services, Justice and Community Services Section.
Locally, funds were awarded to:
- CASA of the Greenbrier Valley – $89,003 (Previously CASA of the 11th Judicial Circuit WV). These funds will be used to increase advocacy services for child victims of domestic violence and/or sexual abuse, physical abuse, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, as well as child neglect, including medical, educational, and substance abuse.
- Child and Youth Advocacy Center – $202,638. These funds will be used to provide direct services to victims of child abuse and support the agency’s mission of ending child abuse in Greenbrier, Monroe, and Pocahontas Counties.
- Children’s Home Society of West Virginia – $199,092. These funds will be used to encourage and facilitate the multidisciplinary team approach to the investigation and response to child abuse allegations.
- Family Refuge Center – $547,343. These funds will be used to provide direct services to victims of domestic violence, sexual assault, abuse in later life, exploitation, stalking, and dating violence.
- Greenbrier County Commission – $42,093. These funds will be used to provide direct services to victims of crime via a prosecution-based advocate, coordinate access to prosecutors, contact persons for victims, and provide institution and legal information for victims in Greenbrier County.
- Greenbrier County Commission – $45,861. These funds will be used to support a victim advocate in the Greenbrier County Sheriff’s Department that will continue to serve as a guide, liaison, and contact person for victims, while also making appropriate referrals to better serve victims as needed.
- West Virginia Division of Corrections and Rehabilitation – $101,782. These funds will be used to provide direct services throughout the state while networking with county prosecutors, law enforcement agencies, advocates, and service providers to continue to share information to better assist victims and the safety of the public and communities in all 55 counties.
- West Virginia Child Advocacy Network – $204,112. These funds will be used to support a comprehensive, statewide project aimed at expanding child advocacy services to underserved areas and enhancing the quality of services provided to victims of child abuse in the 46 counties already served by a child advocacy center.
- West Virginia Coalition Against Domestic Violence – $243,750. These funds will be used to provide direct legal services, housing, and emergency financial assistance to survivors and victims of crime and support the domestic violence orientation training program.
