DOMESTIC VIOLENCE FUNDS SHIFT

EAST PRAIRIE-- Mississippi County funds allocated to handle domestic violence will be directed to a different provider beginning in January.

At a recent County Commission meeting, representatives of the Epworth Bootheel Family Living Center said the organization was the only accredited domestic-violence agency in the county, and as such it should receive all county funds allocated for that purpose.

The Delta Area Economic Opportunity Corp. has received the funds since 1990.

"We take in anywhere from $650 to $800 each year," said Jim Blumenberg, Mississippi County presiding commissioner. "We were designating the funds to the local DAEOC prior to (the meeting), but we didn't know that Epworth was a licensed domestic-violence shelter."

The Missouri Adult Abuse Act requires that $10 from each marriage license issued and $5 from each divorce decree in a county be set aside for providing domestic-violence services.

"Money is set aside by Missouri law," said Marsha Grubbs, domestic-violence direct services coordinator for Epworth. "We're the only agency in Mississippi County that is designated and has been trained to provide those services."

"The agencies in our area try hard to work together and provide collective services," she said.

Grubbs said all Epworth employees have received at least 40 hours of training from the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic Violence.

Epworth has also worked to train county law enforcement officials, she said.