On the Crime Victims Fund
Benita Williams, Executive Director, Philadelphia Children’s Alliance and
Chris Kirchner, Executive Director, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Pennsylvania 

Originally published in The Philadelphia Inquirer on July 31,2024
Read on the Inquirer's Site

A staggering $600 million that was supposed to help provide support for Pennsylvania children who’ve been abused is about to vanish. Each year, more than 15,000 Pennsylvania kids and family members who experience abuse get support through our 41 Children’s Advocacy Centers serving most of the state.

These centers offer forensic interviews, trauma therapy, medical evaluations, prevention training, and more — services that help limit the impact of trauma, keep kids safe, and hold offenders accountable.

The advocacy centers rely on the Crime Victims Fund to pay for them. The fund directs a portion of the money collected from criminal prosecution to support crime victims, but agencies, including Children’s Advocacy Centers, are already experiencing frequent and massive budget cuts. Further cuts could mean longer delays, staff shortages, service reductions, or even closing centers altogether.

To address this shortcoming, House and Senate lawmakers introduced the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act. The bipartisan bills would fund services for crime victims from new criminal penalty sources, not taxes, and give Congress five years to work out a permanent fix. 

Four Pennsylvania lawmakers already cosponsor the House bill. It’s going to take support from our entire congressional delegation — and Pennsylvanians like you — to get this across the finish line before more cuts hit in October.