This state budget cycle, advocates from the statewide organization the Michigan Coalition to end Domestic and Sexual Violence asked legislators to approve $75 million to support victim services — but the newly approved budget only provides $35 million.
According to MCEDSV associate director Johanna Kononen, the proposed increase of $45 million from the previous year's funding level of $30 million was intended to fill a gap left by reductions in federal funds.
In a previous interview with WMUK, Kononen said the requested extra funds were needed just to keep services running at the same level and maintain the "status quo." Now, with only $5 million in additional funding secured in the state budget, Kononen said programs will have to start making tough decisions.
“My best guess is that a lot of programs are going to be looking at a 15 to 20% cut which is potentially, you know, staff layoffs. It's potentially reductions in services. It is not negligible," Kononen said.
MCEDSV allocates state funding to over 70 domestic and sexual violence programs across the state. Kononen says the full impact is yet to be felt, but every program is expected to take a hit.
“We still aren't quite sure what that's going to mean for programs because the adjusted budgets, like grant budgets, have not come out from the state of Michigan to individual programs," Kononen said.
Melanie Hooker is the executive director of the Domestic Violence Coalition in Van Buren County, which provides supportive counseling, legal assistance, education on domestic violence, resources for independent living and other services for victims of domestic and sexual violence.
Before the state budget was finalized, Hooker told WMUK her organization was already struggling. Now, she says shortfalls from the state budget and the federal government shutdown have made things even worse.
“Van Buren County government has given us $25,000 that will get us through November 15th. At that point, if the federal budget doesn't pass or the Division of Victim Services for Michigan doesn't start paying grants out, then we will literally have to shut down until that money is allocated," Hooker said.
According to Hooker, a grant payment from the Michigan Division of Victim Services, which provides funding for community-based programs like the Coalition, has also not yet been paid out.
"We get weekly email updates from the Division of Victim Services which is usually about four paragraphs of, 'I'm really sorry we don't have an answer yet'," Hooker said.
So far, Hooker said she’s already laid off two of her five-person staff. Now, she said she's just trying to keep the organization alive — for the people they serve and for the staff that work there.
"I have to make the decision to be very honest with my employees about what's going on and that there may be a time I'm going to have to lay you off," Hooker said. "And, you know, my employees — they have families. They have children, they have spouses, you know, that are also counting on on this income."
As for the services being provided, Hooker said some have already taken a hit. Due to a lack of funding, the Coalition is already struggling to provide more costly services such as gas cards, bus tickets, or hotel stays for victims in need of immediate relocation. Because of that, Hooker said the process of finding assistance is becoming less straightforward.
'We're going to be asking a little bit more questions, you know? And then just letting people understand we are going to have to make really tough decisions," Hooker said.
"If you are in an emergency, like you are in immediate danger, definitely reach out, go in, we're all going to help. But those that may not be in immediate danger — what that means is like, you know, someone's calling you from the other side of the state. That's scary, you know, stalking is a horrible thing. But we might look at okay, how can we change this? 'Can we change your phone number? Could we get you a different phone'?"
Hooker said as far as she knows, organizations like the Domestic Violence Coalition still exist in nearly every county across the state — but things are uncertain. And for people like her who have made this their life's work, she says it's terrifying.
"I'm going to be going out and getting a second job or whatever if that's what it comes to. And that's scary," Hooker said. "I've been here 17 years. You know what it's like to try to think about starting over somewhere?"
At MCEDSV, Kononen said it will take a while to understand just how much funding cuts will impact organizations across the state. But for now, she encouraged community members who are interested in how they might be able to help their local organization during this time to pick up the phone.
"If you have any money to spare for donations, please reach out to your local domestic and sexual violence shelter and service provider and ask them what might be helpful to them," Kononen said.
"They might say, 'Could you share our social media posts? Would you be interested in participating in a letter-writing campaign? Can you talk to your elected representatives and let them know that this is an issue that you care about?' Even if you don't have money to spare, you might have time that they could use, right? And skills that would be helpful to them," Kononen said.
