LEWISTOWN - Mifflin County intends to apply for a state grant that, if approved, would aid in the human services department's efforts to combat violence against women, according to information released Thursday at a workshop meeting of the Mifflin County Commissioners.

Lisa Stalnaker, grant writer for the Mifflin-Juniata Human Services Department, was on hand at Thursday's session to go over specifics of the grant, which would come from the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency, and to ask for the commissioners approval to make the application.

If approved by the state, Stalnaker said the money would go toward establishing the Mifflin County STOP Violence Against Women project.

"This project will enhance Mifflin County's capacity to respond to domestic and dating violence, stalking and sexual assault, by providing culturally relevant victim services that meet the needs and safety requirement of victims while holding offenders accountable for their crimes," Stalnaker explained.

The grant being sought is in the amount of $200,032 and would last for a period of three years, if approved.

Stalnaker said the project would be made up of four components:

The development and support of a multidisciplinary approach to improve the criminal and juvenile justice systems' response to victims of violence through the creation of a STOP Coordinating Team;

Providing training to law enforcement and other criminal justice professionals on the dynamics of domestic violence in rural areas on an annual basis;

Enhancing the follow-up and investigative procedures that are used with domestic and dating violence, stalking and sexual assault cases. The follow-up and investigations, which are primarily being done by law enforcement officers, will be done by county detectives under the terms of the grant;

Increase victim advocacy and services available to women who have been victims of violent crimes. Under the terms of the project, the county's ability to provide victim services will be increased and include a focus on providing services to underserved populations, specifically Latino and Hispanic citizens.

Stalnaker said the Commission on Crime and Delinquency will review the grant application at its December meeting.

In other business at Thursday's workshop, Chris Wysocki, deputy director of the Tri-County Mental Health/Mental Retardation Program, presented the agency's quarterly report of activities.

Under Mental Health, Wysocki said MH/MR is currently working with the children and youth departments of the three counties, Mifflin, Juniata and Huntingdon, to bring in and develop a multi-systemic therapy program for children.

"In the past, Children and Youth was directed to make sure this is a service provided," Wysocki reported. "By bringing all of our resources together, we are able to move forward on this."

On the Mental Retardation side, Wysocki said MH/MR is currently working with the three children and youth department to identify children who are receiving services after they reach their 18th birthday. Wysocki said when those individuals are identified, MH/MR will be able to pick up the cost of those services, thus saving the counties money.

Wysocki also said MH/MR is still in a holding pattern regarding finances because the agency has yet to receive a letter of allocation from the state for the next fiscal year.

Under Early Intervention Services, Wysocki said that portion of the agency is up and running because its allocation was included in the stop-gap budget signed last month.

After those presentations, Commissioner Mark Sunderland announced the following items also will be on next Thursday's regular meeting agenda:

A proclamation for National Farm-City Week;

Mifflin County State Food Purchase Program Agency Agreements through June 30, 2010, for the following: Hand of Grace, $25,000; Bible Baptist Church, $7,227; and The Abuse Network, $5,000;

The appointment of Craig Wheeler of Lewistown to serve on the county's Hazmat Mitigation Steering Committee;

The appointment of Robert Postal, president of the Mifflin County Industrial Development Corporation, to fill an unexpired term on the SEDA-Council of Governments Joint Rail Authority.