September 15, 2022
Reading − September 15, 2022 − Yesterday the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency approved grant funding for three Berks County projects.
Kutztown University received $133,300 in Federal State Opioid Response Funds in support of the SBIRT Enhancement Project. SBIRT is an acronym for Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment, a public health approach that delivers intervention services to individuals at risk of developing substance abuse issues. Kutztown University offers SBIRT screening to students.
Berks Connections/Pretrial Services received two Federal Byrne Justice Assistance Grants for a total of $499,998. The funding will go towards the reentry services for Berks County residents with previous justice system involvement.
Brecknock Township received $9,128 in grant funding from the Federal Body Warn Camera Policy and Implementation Program in support of the Brecknock Township Police Department BWC Program.
Sen. Judy Schwank said all three projects demonstrate a commitment to making Berks County a better place to live.
“These funds will go towards a wide range of initiatives that will be of great benefit to the entire county,” Schwank said. “Addressing substance abuse, investing in reentry services, and body cameras that help keep officers safe and strengthen evidence quality are all items I believe the vast majority of Berks Countians wholeheartedly support. I commended this group of award recipients for putting together strong applications and taking advantage of these grant funding opportunities.”
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August 10, 2022
Reading — August 10, 2022 — Today, Sen. Judy Schwank and Berks Connections/Pretrial Services (BCPS) announced that BCPS received $100,000 in grant funding from the Pennsylvania Department of Education to support the Pardon Project of Berks County.
Pardon Projects pair individuals seeking a pardon with trained pardon coaches who guide them through the application process free of charge. In November of 2021, Schwank, BCPS, and Berks County District Attorney John Adams announced the beginning of the Pardon Project of Berks County’s pilot program. The program’s guidelines and eligibility criteria were developed with input from Adams, Magisterial District Judge Tonya Butler, Executive Director of the Berks County Bar Association Executive Kori Walter, and then Berks County Bar Association President Justin Bodor.
The grant funding will go towards 18 months of salary for a full-time Pardon Project Coordinator and other costs associated with bolstering the program.
“Getting a pardon can transform an individual’s life by opening doors to a variety of opportunities that are too often closed for people who’ve made a mistake,” Schwank said. “The mission of Pardon Project is worthy of support, and I’m committed to ensuring it succeeds in Berks County. Growing the program is the logical next step after a successful pilot period and significant community interest. I’m excited to see what it will become once a full-time staff member is fully devoted to Pardon Project.”
“We are so thankful for Sen. Schwank’s assistance in securing these funds,” said BCPS Co-Executive Director Nikki Schnovel. “The ability to have a dedicated Pardon Project Coordinator who is trained in the process will not only assure that participants working with Pardon Project of Berks County will be submitting a strong application with a higher likelihood of success, but will also increase the amount of participants that we can assist, allowing for a greater impact on the community!”
More information about the Pardon Project of Berks County can be found by visiting berksconnections.org/pardonprojectofberkscounty.
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