Funding cuts hurt victims

Budget cuts are a concern for many state and governmental agencies this fiscal year. Local sexual assault and domestic violence programs rely on a combination of state, federal and private funds. Budget cuts to state funding and no reserves left in the crime victims reserve fund is putting additional stress on already limited funding said Vickie Hodge, executive director Rural Iowa Crisis Center. “We’ve lost almost alll of our funding,” said Hodge. “We need them to budget $4 million, just to keep the doors open at the level of service we are currently able to provide.” For eight years, RICC has been serving victims and survivors of domestic and sexual violence in a six-county service area. Staffing “When we opened our doors in 2001, we employed two full-time advocates and myself as executive director,” said Hodge. “In those days, I was responsible for providing 40 percent of the direct services for our facility.” In the fall of 2002, RICC received some federal grant money, which helped to open the shelter facility, which has recently been forced to close. “When the shelter opened in 2004, we staffed it 24/7, 365 days per year,” said Hodge. “Advocates provided daily living assistance to residents, staffed our 24-hour crisis hotline and kept the shelter in top operating condition. Residents were allowed to stay for a length of time appropriate to their needs.” During this time, Hodge said each resident in the shelter was assigned an outreach advocate who provided counseling, advocacy and coordinated services within the agency for that resident and their family. There were three full-time outreach advocates, a shelter coordinator, four to eight shelter advocates, an administrative assistant and the executive director. There are two full-time outreach advocates, one whose position is 50 percent direct services to clients and 50 percent prevention education and one part-time administrative assistant and Hodge. “Staff works weekdays 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and then we take turns with one-call responsibilities,” said Hodge. “Someone always has to take the phone home.” Loss With resources stretched to a bare minimum, something had to give. “We’ve had to give notice. We have to close the shelter,” said Hodge. “We are no longer able to afford it. We weren’t able to raise enough money to fund it.” Alternative emergency shelter services will still be available. “Today, we can only offer shelter for a few days,” said Hodge. “With the shelter closing, we have to look to other safe alternatives.” Funding “Each year, the struggle to provide services becomes greater,” said Hodge. “When the line item was eliminated from the budget, we were flush with federal funds. It didn’t hurt as much when the attorney general’s office froze funding at 85 percent of the 2002 levels. At that time, we were receiving funding from the Crime Victim Compensation Fund reserves.” Those reserves are gone. If funding isn’t made available, services will be cut in many counties in Iowa, said Hodge. “If you look on the Web site our entire service area is blacked out,” said Hodge. “I can read the writing on the wall. I have skills. I can find another job. Where are the people we serve going to go for help?” Victim services RICC offers advocate services for victims to help them on the road to becoming a survivor. Rachael, used the services of an RICC advocate when she was 44 and was sexually assaulted. “I couldn’t have made it through everything,” said Rachael, whose name is changed to protect her identity. “I felt like everyone knew what happened to me. I couldn’t go to the grocery store without feeling like everyone was talking about me.” Rachael is attending classes at Southwestern Community College. “I wouldn’t have been able to continue,” said Rachael. “They’ve helped me regain some of my self esteem.” Services offered through RICC helped Leslie, whose name is changed to protect her identity, stayed on track and to graduate from high school after she needed its services when she was 16. “I wanted to quit school,” said Leslie. “I didn’t want to go back. I did and I graduated. Now I’m in college. That wouldn’t have happened if they (advocates from RICC) hadn’t been here for me.” Legislators Hodge said people need to contact their legislative representatives and senators. “We need to let them know that without the $4 million in funding, to keep us at our current levels, as many as nine programs will close,” said Hodge. “That will leave more than 7,000 victims of violence without support.” “One-third of our clients used shelter services,” said Hodge. “We’re still able to maintain our advocacy services for now though.” Information is available at victimstosurvivors.org. ____________ Valarie Allen can be reached at 782-2141, ext. 233 or vallen@crestonnews.com