Conklin: Nearly $2 million secured to boost Centre County criminal justice programs, supports and services for survivors

Rep. Scott Conklin September 18, 2024 | 6:50 PM

STATE COLLEGE, Sept. 18 – Nearly $2 million in grant funding is coming to bolster Centre County’s criminal justice system, expand services and programs for crime victims and at-risk youth, and support crime-prevention measures, state Rep. Scott Conklin announced today.

Conklin, D-Centre, said the funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will support a wide range of programs and services for the region.

“The new funding will allow the county and area organizations to bolster crime prevention, expand services for victims, assess needs for at-risk youth and provide drug treatment and other services to help folks transition back to the community,” Conklin said. “Some of the new funding will also allow the public defender’s office to add caseworker services that can help folks with mental health, intellectual disabilities or substance use disorder access needed services.

“They’re investments that are going to help people heal and put people back on a path to a better life.”

The funding includes:

$750,000 to Pennsylvania State University for oversight/administration of the 2025 and 2027 Pennsylvania Youth Surveys.
$577,197 to Centre Safe to expand services for survivors of sexual or domestic violence.
$220,833 to the Centre County Commissioners for the Public Defender Caseworker Program.
$130,625 to Pennsylvania State University for maintenance of the 2024-25 PA Victim Services Training website that trains professionals who work with survivors.
$125,000 to the Centre County Commissioners for the Centre County STOP Violence Against Women program.
$93,844 to the Centre County Commissioners to expand the jail-based Vivitrol drug treatment program.
$73,811 to the Jana Marie Foundation for Reducing Access to Lethal Means services.