Pennsylvania budget impasse is a serious threat to services for survivors of crime
- Crystal Stryker
- Sep 2
- 2 min read
(Norristown, PA)--Mary Onama, LMSW, executive director of Victim Services Center of Montgomery County (VSC), calls attention to the fact that the nonprofit, which serves victims of crime at no cost to the survivors and their family members is affected by the PA budget impasse and is at great risk of major reduction in critical services including impact on staff retention if the PA budget is not passed immediately.
“The budget impasse is placing us in financial distress because without a state budget, our grant funds from Pennsylvania cannot be released for payment to VSC,” explains Onama. “We simply cannot provide comprehensive services without state funding for much longer.”
“We simply cannot provide comprehensive services without state funding for much longer.”
VSC has been informed that state funds due to be paid in July & August will not be paid until the budget is passed.
“If the budget impasse continues, VSC will have to make a difficult decision to downsize its operation and protective services by operating our 24/7 crisis hotline and prioritizing other services as needed.”
Approximately 37% of VSC’s operating funds come from grants tied to the Pennsylvania budget.
How the budget impasse would impact services for survivors
A reduction of VSC services would mean:
Fewer advocates would be available to support victims of crime.
Advocates would have less time to spend with each victim during the criminal court process.
Survivors may need to testify against their assailants and relive the worst trauma of their lives without the support of a trained victim advocate.
Fewer educators would be available to provide programs that help keep children safe.
“We call upon the Pennsylvania General Assembly and urge them to act quickly, to pass the budget and prevent this worst-case scenario,” says Onama, who has been at the helm of VSC for 27 years.
About VSC
VSC is a comprehensive service center for victims of crime, serving victims at all phases of the criminal justice process. VSC staff members accompany survivors of sexual assault during rape kit exams, attend police interviews and court hearings to support survivors, and provide therapy at no cost to victims of crime and loved ones. Last year, VSC provided 88 in-person accompaniments to sexual assault victims in Montgomery County hospitals and assisted over 1,300 victims on its 24/7 hotline. VSC’s education team provided 428 programs last year reaching over 8,239 people in Montgomery County.
VSC is among the 48 rape crisis centers in Pennsylvania that are facing a crisis due to the Pennsylvania budget impasse.
