Ellen Lockyer, KSKA – Anchorage
The State of Alaska is offering grants to rural areas as part of the state’s initiative against domestic violence. Melissa Stone, behavioral health director for the state Department of Health and Social Services, says recent studies link traumatic childhood experiences to drug and alcohol abuse, tobacco use and even to obesity as adults. Stone says the state is seeking ideas from rural areas on how to build violence-free communities.
Three or four grants are being offered as part of Governor Sean Parnell’s statewide initiative to end Alaska’s epidemic of domestic violence and sexual assault within a decade. Stone says the grants are intended to link stakeholders and to expand the breadth of prevention services.
Primary grants of $500,000 will go to a regional or community coalition that can serve several surrounding smaller towns and villages. The original grant could be expanded to as much as one million dollars over three year. Two to three additional grants of around $200,000 will go to additional communities.
Successful applicants will need to bring forward new ideas, demonstrate community involvement in assessing regional issues and identify results they intend to accomplish.
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