Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Domestic Violence Services topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Missoula County approves MOU to back YWCA Missoula’s $650,000 OVW grant
Summary
County commissioners approved a memorandum of understanding to support YWCA Missoula’s three-year Office on Violence Against Women FY26 grant, which the presenter said totals $650,000 and will fund supervised visitation, trauma-informed services and a graduate practicum placement.
Missoula County commissioners on July 14 approved a memorandum of understanding to support YWCA Missoula’s application for an Office on Violence Against Women FY26 grant.
Patty Murphy, director of programs at YWCA Missoula, told the commission the federal grant is a three-year award the agency has held for several years and is for about $650,000. "It allows us to provide services to domestic [violence], human trafficking, dating violence, families that are part of child abuse allegations," Murphy said, adding the program offers supervised visitations and exchanges and works to preserve parent–child bonds while ensuring safety.
Murphy said the requested MOU would allocate local partner support, including approximately $30,000 spread over three years (about $10,000 per year) to provide a graduate-level practicum student and evaluation support through the University of Montana. Asked whether the county has seen a statistical change in need locally, Murphy said caseloads appear to have increased because services are free and differently documented, and offered to supply specific data later.
Commissioner Corey Orson moved to approve the MOU; a second was recorded and the motion passed by voice vote. The meeting record shows the motion carried on an "aye" vote; specific roll-call tallies were not specified in the transcript.
The action allows YWCA Missoula to proceed with the grant partnership and the county’s participation per the MOU; staff said they will follow up with any requested data and evaluation details.
