Missoula, MT (KGVO-AM News) - October is Domestic Violence Prevention Month, and Missoula County will receive $1.6 million to fund three programs to help victims of gender-based domestic violence.

I spoke with Erin Shreder, ‘Just Response’ coordinator this week about the federal grants that total just over one and a half million dollars.

$1.6 Million in Grants to Missoula County to Benefit Victims of Domestic Violence

Missoula County Community Justice Department received three grants, and then additionally, the Missoula County Justice Court received a grant as well, and they're kind of all lumped together to make that $1.6 million,” began Shreder. “However, all of these grants focus on helping people who are victims of intimate partner violence. They all started October 1, so it was exciting to roll these out, as well as October being Domestic Violence Awareness Month; so it all fits together.”

She described just some of the programs that will benefit from these federal grants.

Several Programs will Benefit from the Federal Grants

“The Community Justice Department entails the Crime Victim Advocate office; the Justice Initiative, free trial work, and the PATH (Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness) program, so it's definitely grown from just being more than the Crime Victim Advocate office and Relationship Violence Services to encompassing now more defendant based as well as victim based work.”

Shreder said the grants vary in size and time periods.

“Because they are different grants coming from different funding sources, two of the grants are three years, and two of the grants are one year,” he said. “They are not ongoing. They will have an end date in three years, after which we will then reapply for these federal grants again.”

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The Rural Program Will Also Benefit from the Federal Grants

He said $750,000 will support the Rural Program.

“That focuses on the rural areas of Missoula County and Mineral County, and those really lack a lot of support, which Missoula does have in the city. It also helps with legal support from Ries Law Group, which is astounding and super helpful to survivors who are going through divorce proceedings, order a protection hearing, really anything that needs an attorney, they can utilize funds for that.”

There are also grants of $700,000 for victim-centered services; and over $68,000 for the Just Response Program.

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