$60M Needed to Maintain Services for Victims of Crime

This month, service providers and survivors across the state join the Massachusetts Office of Victim Assistance (MOVA) to recognize Victim Rights Month. Since 1981, the victims’ rights movement has challenged the Nation to confront and remove barriers to achieving justice for all victims of crime. During the week of April 24, advocates celebrate the accomplishments of this movement and reflect on how far we have come.

But in Massachusetts we have not come far enough. MOVA is seeking an investment, a one-time fix, from the Commonwealth to mitigate an unexpected loss to the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding that supports critical services that victims require for their health and recovery. Due to a problem with the funding formula under the previous administration, revenue generated from court fines and fees, intended to fund VOCA, were diverted to the general fund. That problem has been addressed on the federal level; however, it has left all 50 states with the burden of addressing a three-year VOCA funding shortfall. To avoid severe cuts to programming for victims starting in July, a one-time, three-year investment of $60 million, is needed. This funding, or VOCA bridge, is necessary to keep victim services intact here in Massachusetts. Service providers from across the Commonwealth have previously urged the Legislature to pass H.4479 filed by Governor Charlie Baker, which would effectively avoid an interruption in often life-changing and sometimes life-saving services.

Today, the House of Representatives will debate the budget, which currently includes a $20 million investment to cover one year of anticipated VOCA cuts. That investment would positively affect service providers and those they serve. In addition to this $20 million investment, Representative Marjorie Decker has filed amendment #1317, better known as VOCA BRIDGE, to fund the program at its full potential of $60 million. This amendment would efficiently maximize grant awards to new and existing service providers and allow victim-serving programs to plan staffing most effectively to meet the needs of crime survivors.

Currently, VOCA funding supports 161 service providers across Massachusetts. To illustrate the impact of that funding, in one quarter last year (January 1 – March 31, 2021) those providers served over 20,000 victims. During that time, 20,000 people experienced domestic and family violence, physical assault, child and adult sexual assault, abuse and neglect, families of homicide, stalking, harassment, and human trafficking.

Victim service programs and providers are often the only resource victims have to help them in the aftermath of crime. VOCA funding seeks to stabilize urgent victim service services throughout the Commonwealth and to ensure services remain accessible for those navigating trauma following crime after July 1, 2022.

Like many industries, victims service providers have faced significant challenges during the pandemic. From trying to protect client-facing staff when it felt impossible to secure personal protective equipment, difficulties in recruiting personnel, and concern over workers’ mental health, have all contributed to making survivor-serving jobs even more challenging. They created intensified pressures on a workforce that crime victims depend on to help them on their journeys to heal from victimization.

MOVA worked closely with victim service stakeholders to advocate for necessary changes to the VOCA statute to provide sustainability to the Crime Victims Fund and ensure continued services nationally, including here in Massachusetts. Last summer, the VOCA Fix to Sustain the Crime Victims Fund Act of 2021 was signed into law by President Biden.

As of January 2022, the federal Office for Victims of Crime was already reporting increased deposits into the Crime Victims Fund compared to the previous year. MOVA anticipates the Fund will return to a healthy balance over the next several years. However, while a monumental victory for the victim service community, passage of the law does not immediately impact MOVA’s reduced funding for FY23, FY24 and FY25.

This April, Victim of Crime Month, we urge the legislature to consider those 20,000 victims and the staff that are dedicated to supporting them by passing this important legislation. In our experience, this work saves lives.

Sincerely,

• Asian Task Force Against Domestic Violence (ATASK): Dawn Sauma, LICSW, Co-Executive Director
• Boston Area Rape Crisis Center: Duane de Four, Executive Director
• Casa Myrna: Stephanie Brown, Executive Director
• Center for Hope and Healing: Isa Woldeguioruis, Executive Director
• DOVE, Inc: Sue Chandler, Executive Director
• Elizabeth Freeman Center, Inc.: Janis Broderick, Executive Director
• Fenway Health: Carl Sciortino, Executive Vice President of External Relations
• Jane Doe Inc: Hema Sarang-Sieminski, Esq. Policy Director
• Justice Resource Institute: Any Pond, President and CEO
• Louis D Brown Peace Institute: Clementina M. Chéry, President and CEO
• Massachusetts Children's Alliance: Thomas King, LICSW, Executive Director
• Pathways for Change: Kim L. Dawkins, President & CEO
• New Hope: Marcia Szymanski, President/Chief Executive Officer
• Second Step: Susan Ross, Esq., Interim Executive Director
• Victim Rights Law Center: Stacy Malone,Esq., Executive Director