Greene County Commissioners on Jan. 9, 2025 approved a proclamation designating January 2025 as Human Trafficking Awareness Month and invited representatives of local victim‑services programs to summarize outreach and new funding.

The proclamation recognized the SBHS Care Center, the STARS program and the Greene County STOPS team (names as presented at the meeting). Josh Fournelle, identified in the meeting as the counselor‑advocate for the STARS program at the Waynesburg office, and other local advocates described services, a hotline and an awarded STROP grant meant to expand county coordination on trafficking and stalking cases.

Why it matters: County officials said the proclamation is intended to raise public awareness of trafficking and stalking, and to direct residents to local and national resources. Fournelle and other presenters described partnerships that county grant funds and the STROP award will help support, including victim services, domestic‑violence programs and law‑enforcement coordination.

During the presentation, STARS representatives provided contact information and outreach materials. The meeting included the national human trafficking hotline number that was displayed on flyer materials shown at the meeting: 1‑888‑373‑7888. Fournelle also gave a county phone number for local STARS program services at the Waynesburg office: (724) 627‑6108. Presenters said the STROP grant was awarded through the Pennsylvania Commission on Crime and Delinquency; they said that grant funding will help bring together sexual‑assault services, domestic‑violence providers, the district attorney’s office and the sheriff’s department to work on trafficking and stalking cases in Greene County.

Presenters said the STROP grant will increase resources and collaboration but did not specify a dollar amount or an exact project timeline during the meeting. They said additional information will be distributed to providers and agencies in the county in the coming months.

The commissioners moved and seconded the proclamation and approved it by voice vote. No votes against or abstentions were recorded on the public audio; the meeting record shows the motion carried after a voice “Aye.”

Speakers at the proclamation segment emphasized awareness and available resources rather than new county policy changes. The county clerk noted the proclamation is a formal recognition intended to support outreach and public education rather than to create a new programmatic mandate.