The state budget impasse is now affecting Delaware County’s Domestic Abuse Project, which helps victims of domestic abuse, writes Raymond Strickland for CBS News Philadelphia.
Michelle Brown, the executive director of the Domestic Abuse Project of Delaware County (DAP), has had to issue a hiring freeze since it has not received any previously approved state funds since July 1 due to the state budget impasse.
These crucial funds reimburse DAP for grant-funded service delivery, paying the salaries of DAP’s employees: counselors, advocates, attorneys, case managers, hotline crisis counselors, and more.
As of September 30, this totals close to $250,000, and with every month that passes, this amount increases by $70,000 – $80,000.
“The demand is not going away. In fact, it’s increasing while our ability to serve that or have the capacity for that is scarce,” Brown said.
DAP, the only provider of services exclusively for domestic abuse victims in Delaware County, has a range of services, from a hotline to counseling and legal services.
Aside from the hiring freeze, so far, no cuts have been made at DAP, thanks to private donors and other funding sources. That could change if the shutdown continues.
DAP is also being impacted by the decision of the Department of Homeland Security to redirect funding to immigration initiatives, pulling those dollars that had funded shelter services.
For DAP, this means the funds that pay its emergency shelter mortgage are no longer coming in, with no communication as to whether this is a permanent shift.
“It does feel like the people that need it most are the people that are getting hurt the most,” she said.
Read more about DAP and its funding concerns at CBS News Philadelphia.
