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Family Services Alliance requests $10,000 to fund on‑call victim services and court advocacy
Summary
Family Services Alliance asked the county to continue a $10,000 contribution to support on‑call victim services, court advocacy and a domestic‑violence response program that works with law enforcement and the domestic violence court grant.
Sarah O'Banion, representing Family Services Alliance, asked Bannock County to continue a $10,000 annual contribution to support on‑call victim services that accompany law enforcement responses and provide courtroom advocacy.
O'Banion said the organization operates an undisclosed‑location shelter specifically for people fleeing domestic violence and that those services are different from other community shelters. "Our shelter is in an undisclosed location," she said, noting the confidentiality is required to protect survivors. She described courtroom advocacy, victim impact services tied to the county's improving criminal justice response grant, and on‑call responses when law enforcement encounters victims.
O'Banion and colleague Carrie McEachern described partnerships with law enforcement, the coroner's office and other nonprofits and said these collaborations help survivors navigate court processes, civil protection orders and safety planning. In response to a commissioner question on trafficking, O'Banion explained the agency sees cases where trafficking overlaps with domestic violence and described it as a form of exploitation often carried out by people known to the victim.
Commissioners thanked the presenters and said the county would consider the request during budget deliberations; no vote was taken at the meeting.
