Centers helping abused children to lose federal funding

By Stephen Borowy

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    SAGINAW, Michigan (WNEM) — Centers that help abused children are being told critical funding has been slashed in half across the state.

Local centers believe children will be put in dire situations as a result.

“It is incredibly important because there is no one else that does what we do in the state,” said Julie Bird, director of Michigan Child Advocacy Centers.

In May, the centers were told that they would receive $12.5 million of federal funding. Last week they were told that amount was cut to $6 million.

“It comes as such a late, late point in our fiscal year that it’s really hard to recover in the next six weeks,” said Emily Yeager, president and CEO of Saginaw’s CAN Council.

Yeager said the cut will severely impact the organization’s work with abused children.

“These cuts could impact how long children have to wait for services, it could impact our ability to provide the array of services that we currently provide throughout the length of the child abuse investigation,” Yeager said.

“I have several kids come in here daily to talk about any alleged abuse or neglect that they may have experienced and without services, who does it,” said Haylie Oldenburg, a forensic interviewer at CAN Council.

For the past 40 years, the funds have come from the federal Victims of Crime Act, meaning money collected from convicted criminals who are ordered to pay restitution, punitive damages, and other fines and fees. But with the reduction, some centers will see up to a 79 percent loss in funding.

Michigan has seen a 50 percent reduction in Victims of Crime Act funds since its highest federal award, with another 38 percent reduction on the way, according to the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services.

An MDHHS representative said the proposed reductions are a result of decreased federal funding. Other Victims of Crime Act-funded service programs in Michigan will see similar cuts as contracts are re-bid in the coming year, the spokesperson stated.

MDHHS said it will assess 2022 Victims of Crime Act funding lapses at the end of the current fiscal year. The agency will work to get more Children’s Advocacy Center contracts through an amendment process if more funds are available.

Many will be forced to lay off staff — if not close all together — something Bird fears would do more harm than good.

“These children have undergone trauma. Absolute trauma,” Bird said. “I wish you could hear their stories of what has happened to them. This allows them a shard of dignity that they might not receive if these places did not exist.”

The federal cuts are expected to take place in October. The Children Advocacy Center is encouraging its supporters to reach out to state lawmakers for help.

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