The Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence (PCADV) is pleased to announce that the FY 24-25 state budget, signed by Governor Shapiro last night, includes a $2.5M increase in the domestic violence line item. We thank our champions in the Governor’s office, the legislature, and the Department of Human Services, who were critical partners in securing this increased funding for domestic violence services.
Pennsylvania’s 59 domestic violence programs, serving 90,000 victims annually, have not seen a meaningful budget increase in half a decade.
“This funding is a critical first step in helping domestic violence programs that are struggling to fill gaps caused by chronic underfunding. We are grateful to our state government for recognizing that victims of domestic violence matter,” said Susan Higginbotham, CEO of PCADV. “But the financial gap domestic violence programs face is vast, and our work is not done.”
While this appropriation represents a historic increase, it falls short of the Governor’s original proposal of a $5M increase and far below PCADV’s goal of an $8M increase. Most importantly, it is not enough to meet the real needs of all domestic violence victims and their children in Pennsylvania.
Unmet requests for services have more than doubled in the last year, placing victims and their children at increased risk of harm. In a single day in 2023, 827 requests went unmet due to a lack of financial resources, including 471 for emergency shelter and other life-saving housing needs. This is an alarming trend that cannot be ignored. The need for continued and increased support is critical.
With cuts to Victims of Crime Act funding looming and additional massive cuts proposed to other federal programs that support domestic violence prevention, PCADV is already gearing up for FY 25-26 budget advocacy.
“We will not stop advocating until every victim’s need is met with the resources required to secure their safety,” Higginbotham emphasized, “because every victim in Pennsylvania deserves access to the help they need when they need it.”