CHARLESTON, WVa — More than 13 million dollars in Victims of Crime Act Assistance (VOCA) sub-grant funds will go to 84 public and private non-profit agencies throughout the state, including in the Eastern Panhandle.
The Victims of Crime Act Assistance sub-grant funds will provide such direct services as 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.
Gov. Justice also requested and signed HB 336 in the 3rd Extraordinary Session of the West Virginia Legislature.
Locally, the grants include
$270,379.00 for CASA of the Eastern Panhandle Inc.
This grant will fund staff to provide direct services to victims of child abuse and neglect in Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Counties
and $142,426.00 for the Children’s Home Society of West Virginia (Martinsburg Safe Haven Child Advocacy Center)
to fund staff in order to provide direct services to child abuse victims in Jefferson, Berkeley, and Morgan counties.
The Eastern Panhandle Empowerment Center or EPEC will receive $519,105.00 in grant funding to fund staffing to provide direct services to victims of domestic violence, stalking and sexual assault in Berkeley, Jefferson, and Morgan Counties.
Other funding includes $85,680.00 to fund staff in the Jefferson County Prosecuting Attorney’s Office to provide direct services to crime victims in Jefferson County.