More than $892,000 in newly awarded state grants will support Centre County programs for crime survivors and at-risk youth and fund probation and parole services, according to state Rep. Scott Conklin, D-Rush Township.
The five grants were awarded by the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency last week to bolster programs for individuals served by the criminal justice system.
“A lot of hard work and vigilance goes into protecting the rights of crime victims, supporting at-risk youth and providing effective probation and parole services,” Conklin said in a statement. “The new funding will help keep essential programs in place so that our county’s dedicated judicial, law enforcement, medical and social service professionals can continue delivering the best possible services.”
The grants include:
• $391,764 to Penn State for implementation of the Standardized Program Evaluation Protocol, which helps determine effectiveness of juvenile delinquency prevention methods.
• $200,000 to the Centre County Youth Service Bureau for Project Safe and Smart, which educates youth and parents about child sexual abuse and body safety.
• $147,757 to the Centre County Victim-Witness Office to support 2025-26 programs strengthening protections and services for crime victims.
• $106,329 to Centre County to support county probation and parole services.
• $47,000 to the Centre County Child Advocacy Center to support operations, including identification, prevention and prosecution of child abuse and ensuring child victims receive evidence-based services.
Statewide, PCCD approved $40 million from a variety of grant programs to support services for victims of crime including funding for county victim/witness offices, victim service providers, and children’s advocacy centers (CACs) as well as provide supports for county adult probation and parole services and the formation of new regional police departments.
