MONTGOMERY— Gov. Kay Ivey has awarded a $498,124 grant to expand the free, professional services available to victims of domestic violence in Montgomery County.
One Place Family Justice Center is using grant funds to expand its staff which will allow the center to assist 950 victims over the next year, officials said. The center serves as a central location where a multi-disciplinary team of professionals work together to provide coordinated services to victims.
“Having the right personnel in place can make all the difference in the lives of those who have just been through something horrific,” Ivey said. “I commend the work One Place has done for domestic violence victims in Montgomery County, and am proud that this grant will enable the center to hire staff to help even more people.”
One Place will hire two specialists who assist victims in obtaining crisis intervention services through the center or at other service organizations in the community. Additionally, the Montgomery County District Attorney’s Office will use funds to hire an officer for One Place who specializes in abuse cases involving the elderly.
The grant also will help the Family Sunshine Center to employ two case managers who will work directly through One Place to assist victims of domestic and sexual violence. The Family Sunshine Center will also hire a new legal advocate to work with clients who need safety and emergency legal assistance.
The Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs is administering the grant from funds made available to the state by the U.S. Department of Justice.
“Thanks to the leadership of Gov. Ivey and ADECA’s partnership with local nonprofit organizations like One Place, invaluable services are being provided to victims of domestic violence,” ADECA Director Kenneth Boswell said. “Gov. Ivey is a strong advocate for domestic violence victims in Alabama, and this grant will help ensure those in the Montgomery area who have suffered from this terrible crime will have the resources they need to recover.”
ADECA manages a wide array of programs that support law enforcement and traffic safety, energy conservation, water resource management, economic development and recreation.
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Contact: Russell Sellers, Mike Presley