PARKERSBURG – The Wood County Commission signed off Thursday on applying for funding to help pay for the victims’ advocates in the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office.

County Grant Coordinator Toni Tiano appeared before the Wood County Commission this week to get the commission’s approval to apply to the state for $115,993 from the federal Victims of Crime Act for victim advocate positions in the Prosecutor’s Office. The grant requires a local match of $28,884 from the county through the Wood County Prosecutor’s Office.

The Wood County Prosecutor’s office has a victim’s advocate and an assistant victim’s advocate.

The grant funds the positions of victims advocate and assistant victims advocate, both full-time employees. The grant would cover part of the salary and benefit costs.

“They serve over 4,000 clients a year and provide them with over 10,000 services,” Tiano said adding they are looking at also hiring a part-time advocate to help with the caseload.

The victim advocates provide an important service for the Wood County Prosecutor’s office, she said. It frees up the attorneys as there is a person in the prosecutor’s office who helps victims and families navigate the court system, explains what happens at different points in the court proceedings, helps keep track of hearing dates and more.

“The county has been receiving this grant for 30 years,” Tiano said.

“Let’s make it 31,” Commission President Blair Couch said.

The commission unanimously approved the application.

Contact Brett Dunlap at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com