Grant funds from state to go to CCA

YOUNGSTOWN -- Mahoning County commissioners accepted more than $2 million in state grants Thursday that will allow them to continue funding local corrections programs.
The grants total about $2.3 million and are from the Ohio Department of Rehabilitation and Corrections. The money will go to Community Corrections Association, with which the county contracts for community-based correction services.
Dr. Richard Billak, chief executive officer, said the grant funding makes up about half the agency's total annual budget.
Most of the money helps pay for operation of a 70-bed jail CCA operates on Market Street.
He said the facility generally houses offenders who are on probation, but who are ordered to serve some jail time as part of that probation.
The facility holds between 185 and 200 offenders per year, Billak said.
The rest of the funding will help pay for CCA's nonresidential programs, such as electronically monitored house arrest, day-reporting and community service sanctions. Billak said about 500 people per year participate in those programs.