ACD: Nearly $722,000 awarded to reduce domestic violence, racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system, and child abuse in Allegheny County

Allegheny County Delegation    December 8, 2021 | 1:25 PM

PITTSBURGH, Dec. 8 – The Allegheny County Democratic Delegation announced today the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency awarded a total of $721,988 in grant funding to support projects in Allegheny County that address violence against women, racial and ethnic disparities in the juvenile justice system, and child abuse.

“Support for services for victims of domestic violence and child abuse is critical, and these grants help to strengthen and preserve those resources,” said state Rep. Austin Davis, the Allegheny County Democratic Delegation chair. “This funding also takes a step in recognizing racial injustice and working towards more equitable outcomes for youth of color involved in Allegheny County’s juvenile justice system. Although there’s been some progress, we still have work to do to reduce and prevent unequal treatment, policies, and practices at local and county levels.”

PCCD allocated funds to the following:

  • $374,988 to the Allegheny County STOP Violence Against Women project, which uses collaborative, cross-system efforts to reduce violence-against-women crimes in the county including implementing a Lethality Assessment Program, maintaining a specialized prosecution unit, preserving direct services for victims of domestic violence, and training for law enforcement on trauma-informed responses to sexual assault.
  • $47,000 to A Child’s Place, which is part of the Sto-Rox Neighborhood Health Council, to continue to provide Children’s Advocacy Center services for child victims of abuse and neglect at its main site in Allegheny County, as well as satellite offices in Beaver, Washington, Fayette and Westmoreland counties. The project will also continue to support a Community/Police Liaison at all locations.
  • $150,000 for a Reducing Racial and Ethnic Disparity coordinator for Allegheny County Juvenile Court. The funds will be used to coordinate a diverse stakeholder collaborative workgroup that will address and identify opportunities to reduce local and jurisdiction-level racial and ethnic disparities in the county’s juvenile justice system.
  • $150,000 to community-based nonprofit group Gwen’s Girls Inc. for a Racial and Ethnic Disparities coordinator focused on building a community collective impact strategy to synchronize diversion and prevention efforts to address and eliminate racial and ethnic disparities across Allegheny County.

More information on PCCD is available at www.pccd.pa.gov.