The grant will be directed to Voices for Children, Inc., which represents the best interests of abused, neglected, and abandoned youth who are unable to live safely at home. Voices for Children is affiliated with the national CASA organization and provides volunteer Court Appointed Special Advocates in Doddridge, Pleasants, Ritchie, Wirt, and Wood Counties.

“Any child placed under court protection has already experienced far more than his or her fair share of misfortune,” Mollohan said. “The last thing that child needs is to fall through the cracks or get lost in some judicial or bureaucratic maze. A Court Appointed Special Advocate is the one adult whose sole purpose is to watch out for that child’s best interests, to make sure that the police, social workers, temporary foster parents, court officials and welfare officials are working together to find that child a stable and healthy home. I am proud to support this project.”

Voices for Children expects to serve approximately 250-300 children this year. In 2009, there was a 17 percent increase in the number of abuse and neglect referrals from the Circuit Courts. Voices for Children will use the grant to increase the number of active CASA volunteers from 43 to 50, provide ongoing supervision and support, and to continue to represent children’s best interests in court treatment team meetings.

“We are extremely grateful for all the work and support Congressman Mollohan has given us over the years,” said Margaret Burdette, Voices for Children’s Program Director. “He understands how important it is to bring the best possible outcome to these cases of abuse and neglect.”

Programs that provide support for at-risk youth has been among Mollohan’s top priorities since he was first elected to Congress. He has secured federal funding for a number of organizations that sponsor after-school programs for at-risk youth or provide safe residences to abused or neglected teens. He also inserted language in an appropriations bill that increased federal nutrition subsidies for West Virginia organizations that provide meals to at-risk youth.

Mollohan chairs the Commerce-Justice-Science Appropriations Subcommittee, which drafted its fiscal year 2011 spending bill last week. The $100,000 for Voices for Children is included in the draft. The legislation must be approved by the House and Senate and signed into law before any funding can be delivered.

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