Matzie: $3.5 million awarded to strengthen Beaver, Allegheny county probation services, drug treatment, victim support programs

Rep. Robert Matzie    June 9, 2021 | 3:43 PM

AMBRIDGE, June 9 – State grants totaling more than $3.5 million will bolster Beaver and Allegheny county probation services, improve treatment and support for abuse victims, and fund opioid abuse education and overdose prevention programs, state Rep. Rob Matzie announced today.

Matzie, D-Beaver/Allegheny, said some of the funding from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency will fund rehabilitation programs that can reduce recidivism rates by offering treatment-based alternatives to jail time.

“Good, quality probation services can play a huge role in steering offenders back on the path to productive lives,” Matzie said. “Securing this funding is going to strengthen Beaver County’s probation services and support sentencing alternatives like drug and alcohol treatment programs, which reduce recidivism rates by targeting the root causes of many crimes. Successful programs end up saving taxpayers in incarceration costs and add wage earners back to our economy.

“Other funding will support treatment for domestic violence and sexual abuse victims who are struggling with substance use disorders to help them overcome addiction.”

Matzie said the grants include the following:

Beaver County

  • $282,501 to Beaver County Commissioners in grant-in-aid funding to improve probation services.
  • $149,693 to the Women’s Center of Beaver County to provide trauma-informed services to adult victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse who have a substance disorder.
  • $94,558 to Beaver County Commissioners to continue the Beaver County Restrictive Probation Treatment Program to divert non-violent offenders from jail into drug/alcohol treatment.
  • $20,000 to Beaver County Commissioners to support defense of qualifying pending capital cases.

Allegheny County

  • $1.4 million to the Allegheny County Chief Executive Officer to fund the Restrictive Probation and Treatment Courts program.
  • $1.33 million in grant-in-aid funds to the Executive Officer to strengthen county probation services.
  • $149,991 to Onala Recovery Center for overdose prevention, opioid abuse education and naloxone.
  • $75,412 to Allegheny County in unexpended County Intermediate Punishment funds.

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