NYS DV Advocates Urge Elected Officials in Albany and DC to Support Funding and Supportive Services for Survivors

It’s been a busy time for NYSCADV’s policy team and DV advocates around the State. Dozens of DV advocates, survivors and allies joined NYSCADV in Albany in May to elevate the needs of DV survivors to the State Senate and Assembly. Several meetings with legislators were held, and each chamber passed a resolution acknowledging that New York State has the highest demand for DV services in the country. In addition, several important DV-related bills were advanced (see NYSCADV’s policy webpage for more info).

In June, NYSCADV’s policy team joined advocates from DV and sexual assault coalitions across the country to advocate for funding to support Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grants. New York State uses its VOCA grant to support more than 200 victim services organizations, including DV agencies, rape crisis centers, child advocacy centers and legal services for survivors. Despite the 2021 VOCA Fix Act, the health of the federal Crime Victims Fund (CVF), which fuels state VOCA grants, remains a concern. NYSCADV lobbied Congress to provide $1.9 billion for the CVF and urged passage of the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act (H.R. 8061), a bipartisan bill which would redirect excess funds collected through the False Claims Act into the CVF through FY’29. Since NYSCADV’s advocacy, six members of New York’s Congressional delegation (including Reps. Torres, Lawler, Tonko, Stefanik, Tenney and Molinaro) have co-sponsored the legislation.