RIVERSIDE -- The Riverside County Board of Supervisors signed off today on the release of more than $2.5 million in state grants for the District Attorney's Office, which will use the funds to investigate fraud, provide assistance to crime victims and expand services in underserved communities.

The D.A.'s office was awarded three grants, the largest of which -- $1.48 million -- came from the Department of Insurance's Workers' Compensation Insurance Fraud Program.

The funds, which must be spent in the current fiscal year, will support investigations and prosecutions of individuals suspected of filing fraudulent workers' comp claims.

The California Emergency Management Agency awarded the D.A.'s office two grants -- one in the amount of $932,432, the other totaling $145,525.

The larger grant, intended Advertisement

[ Pala Mesa Resort ] for the current fiscal year, was awarded under the Victim Witness Assistance Program. According to county officials, the funds will help cover the costs of a dozen D.A.'s office victim services advocates, whose duties include providing assistance to victims and witnesses during court proceedings, sending notices to families of victims about upcoming court dates, offering crisis intervention and arranging counseling for victims.

The second CEMA grant originated from the agency's Underserved Victim Advocacy & Outreach Program.

"Funding from the program will allow the Division of Victims' Services to continue to provide culturally sensitive services to Hispanic victims and narrow the scope of services to the most violent and serious crimes prosecuted by the District Attorney's Office," according to a D.A.'s office statement.