Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded $7.9 million to programs that support abuse and crime victims, her office announced Wednesday.
The grants, administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs and made available by the U.S. Department of Justice, will support five programs and organizations across the state that assist victims, according to a press release from Ivey’s office.
“We must work to ensure that professional help is always available for anyone who has been victimized or abused in Alabama,” Ivey said in a statement. “I commend these organizations for their efforts to provide services for victims and for their outreach work in helping to prevent these horrible crimes.”
“ADECA joins Gov. Ivey in commending the staff members of these organizations for the important work they continue to do to ensure all victims receive the care and support they need,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said in a statement. “ADECA’s partnership with these local groups provides victims with important access to needed services.”
The Alabama Court Appointed Special Advocates is to use $1.7 million of those funds to continue the organization’s work in providing advocates for abused, neglected or abandoned children to help them during court proceedings in the following counties:
- Autauga
- Calhoun
- Colbert
- Cullman
- Dallas
- DeKalb
- Houston
- Jackson
- Jefferson
- Lauderdale
- Limestone
- Madison
- Marshall
- Mobile
- Montgomery
- Morgan
- Shelby
- St. Clair
- Talladega
The grant will be supplemented with $434,250 in matching local funds.
The Alabama chapter of Mothers Against Drunk Driving is to receive a $90,000 grant. The organization provides services to continue victims and survivors of drunk driving, including emotional support, referrals to additional community resources, support literature, assistance with navigating the criminal justice system and applying for Alabama Crime Victims Compensation, according to the release. Matching funds of $22,500 will supplement the grant.
The Alabama Office of Prosecution Services is to receive a $5.7 million grant to help continue to provide emotional support dogs to courts. District attorneys in all 67 counties can request the service dogs to help provide support for people during court proceedings. Matching funds of $1.4 million will supplement the grant.
The Alabama Coalition Against Rape will use a $225,000 grant to continue aiding victims of sexual violence and to conduct outreach and education services to help prevent further assaults statewide, according to the release. The money is to also be used to collect data from rural areas of the state to determine where there is the most need for further aid. Matching funds of $56,250 will supplement the grant.
A grant of $185,000 will help the Victims of Crime and Leniency Angel House in Montgomery continue providing counseling, advocacy, court accompaniment, education and a 24-hour crisis line in the following counties:
- Montgomery
- Elmore
- Autauga
- Chilton
- Jefferson
- Blount
- Chambers
- Tallapoosa
- Lee
- Walker
- St. Clair
- Calhoun
- Cullman
- Sumter
- Mobile
- Marshall
- Morgan
The organization assists victims of robberies and family members who have lost a loved one to homicide. Matching funds of $46,250 will supplement the grant.
