Governor Kay Ivey on Thursday announced that 18 nonprofit agencies will be allocated funds from the state’s Domestic Violence Trust Fund to assist victims of domestic violence.
The trust fund was created by the Alabama Legislature in 2015 to help the agencies provide shelter and other services to domestic violence victims and their families. The funds are derived from a fee on marriage licenses.
“This is a bill I supported as lieutenant governor and one I continue to support today,” Ivey said. “The trust fund monies provide additional resources to these agencies to provide safe shelter for victims who are fleeing from violent or potentially violent situations and to help those victims rebuild their lives.”
The Alabama Office of Prosecution Services, which makes a prosecutor available and provides technical services in domestic violence cases, was granted $80,000 to support its services and the Alabama Coalition Against Domestic Violence, which is made up of domestic violence agencies, was awarded $114,723.
All other 16 agencies will be allocated funds on a quarterly basis.
Appropriations to each agency are determined by several factors including population of their service area and the number of domestic violence occurrences within those service areas. In 2021, a total of $1.7 million was distributed to the agencies.
The program is administered by the Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs.
“Gov. Ivey realizes and appreciates the role these agencies play in helping individuals and families in dire circumstances,” said ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell. “ADECA is pleased to join with the governor and these agencies in providing safe haven for these victims and giving them hope for the future.”
Domestic violence agencies which will be receiving funds and their service areas are included below.
- Safeplace Inc. (Florence) – Colbert, Franklin, Lauderdale, Lawrence, Marion and Winston counties.
- Crisis Services of North Alabama Inc. (Huntsville) – Jackson, Limestone, Madison and Morgan counties.
- Domestic Violence Crisis Services (Albertville) – Cherokee, DeKalb and Marshall counties.
- Victim Services of Cullman Inc. (Cullman) – Cullman County.
- Family Resource Center of Northwest Alabama Inc. (Jasper)- Walker County.
- 2nd Chance (Anniston) – Calhoun, Cleburne, Etowah and Talladega counties.
- YWCA Central Alabama (Birmingham) – Blount, Jefferson and St. Clair counties.
- SafeHouse of Shelby County (Pelham) – Chilton, Clay and Shelby counties.
- SAN Inc. – Turning Point (Tuscaloosa) – Bibb, Fayette, Hale, Lamar, Pickens and Tuscaloosa counties.
- SABRA Sanctuary Inc. (Selma) – Dallas, Greene, Marengo, Perry, Sumter and Wilcox counties.
- Domestic Violence Intervention Center (Opelika) – Chambers, Lee, Macon, Randolph, Russell and Tallapoosa counties.
- Montgomery Area Family Violence Program – The Sunshine Center (Montgomery) – Autauga, Butler, Chilton, Crenshaw, Elmore, Lowndes and Montgomery counties.
- Penelope House (Mobile) – Choctaw, Clarke, Mobile and Washington counties.
- Baldwin Family Violence Shelter – The Lighthouse (Robertsdale) – Baldwin, Conecuh, Escambia, and Monroe counties.
- The House of Ruth (Dothan) – Barbour, Bullock, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Pike counties.
- AshaKiran (Huntsville) – Services are provided statewide to culturally diverse communities and those who are foreign born and have limited English speaking skills.
ADECA administers an array of programs supporting law enforcement and traffic safety, economic development, energy conservation, water resource management and recreation development.
