[{"_1":2,"_88":-5,"_89":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6127364,"mediaKeyId","2663488-d194d6de2606a752c8ac0bf71ac55ad7","parentId",2663488,"title","Victim-service providers urge $7 million state supplement as federal VOCA funding falls","audioSeconds",1983,"startMs",2068000,"endMs",4051000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2663488-d194d6de2606a752c8ac0bf71ac55ad7&start=2068&end=4051","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2663488-d194d6de2606a752c8ac0bf71ac55ad7/thumbnail_2068000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6127364/North-Dakota/Victim-service-providers-urge-7-million-state-supplement-as-federal-VOCA-funding-falls","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6127364-6082f10d462a809853394c192317908f/orig.mp4?Expires=1776322235&Signature=mto08vMCIO4PI~xBO1GyENj8xps4QOlri5lN2cPrGUz31gsQzNtmq7xchC-zqXhBT3EXDoLUkr2nBcn2~TQB1GTGPp1NRKRd8l0pKRTputKdmwf7HLJ-Bk5uyM-pDwX~cnqiFiM~KfuzbqRvKd0mgXPWDeTu-sryWBBbI5AFBXylXlsEndQz4C4xQWLhF7rhzDy4cZFr9fwZ8MoFKW4CTXNS4EnioGK-avs2YLR-vvFokXJytx2zrS3oCa1zHK8LjmNDUr0hLT-0PkjNX8-jwfoGCmVjOqAuUJNQDllJcA~4lNUJHmVRimCkMlLIOwhxiOGe6ciqVV00AidoRKTQew__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","North Dakota State Legislature","date","2025-03-17T00:00:00Z","article","At an Appropriations - Human Resources Division hearing, providers and coalition representatives urged legislative action to fill a drop in federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funding and described how reduced federal distributions are straining services across North Dakota.

Seth O’Neil with the North Dakota Domestic and Sexual Violence Coalition testified that federal VOCA distributions to states are declining and that the coalition seeks a $7,000,000 one‑time state supplement to cover the shortfall while Congress works on a federal fix. “This supplemental state support would just help get us through the next couple years,” O’Neil said.

Courtney Monroe Reichman, direct services supervisor at the Abused Adult Resource Center in Bismarck, described program impacts. She said her program’s 2024 VOCA request was $450,000; they received $251,000 and received supplemental funding from the Department of Corrections to reach $365,000. “Without these dollars we would have maybe half of our staff at this point,” she said, adding that VOCA funds support 24‑hour shelters, crisis-line advocates and case management.

Colby Braun, director of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, explained how DOCR channels VOCA funding and reported an early internal estimate of cost savings from the department’s pharmacy participation in federal 340B pricing; DOCR’s pharmacist reported about $530,000 in savings in February and an approximate monthly average near $750,000 as the program expands. Braun said 340B savings are realized only when medications are dispensed from the department’s pharmacy; retail or county-dispensed prescriptions do not capture full 340B pricing.

Committee members pressed whether the requested $7,000,000 is the right number and whether DOCR could reallocate other funds. Michelle Zander, DOCR chief financial officer, said the department used special funds—restitution and similar receipts—to provide supplemental help this year but cautioned those funds are not replenishing at prior rates. “We can go back and relook at things again…we don’t expect that fund to raise as much as it was,” Zander said.

Local providers described service consequences if funding is not restored. Koya Tompkins Inman, president and CEO of Community Violence Intervention Center (CVIC) in Grand Forks, said VOCA had represented roughly $750,000—about 10% of her agency’s $7.2 million operating budget—and that recent distributions dropped to about $517,000, affecting services for more than 1,100 victims. Jill McDonald, executive director of the Domestic Violence Crisis Center in Minot, said VOCA funds support sheltering, therapy and courtroom advocacy; she cited danger-assessment averages and increasing reports of strangulation that heighten urgency for sustained services.

Greg Kosciuszko of the Children’s Advocacy Centers of North Dakota told the committee VOCA commonly pays victim advocate salaries that provide immediate support during forensic interviews and coordinate ongoing services. Several witnesses said national legislation—the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act—was being advanced in Congress (identified in testimony as H.R. 909) and that advocates are urging its passage to stabilize future distributions.

Chairman Nelson directed DOCR staff to reexamine available special funds and return to the committee with details; the committee scheduled continued public testimony the following day. No formal appropriation vote appears in the provided transcript excerpt.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","House Appropriations - Human Resources Division Monday, Mar 17, 2025 10:47 AM - 11:55 AM","oneSentenceSummary","Coalition representatives and local victim-service centers told the Appropriations committee that federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) funds have dropped, and asked lawmakers to consider a one-time $7 million supplemental to prevent service cuts and layoffs.","taxTitle","Appropriations - Human Resources Division, House of Representatives, Legislative, North Dakota","taxId",28888,"location","North Dakota","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6127368,"Lawmakers press Department of Corrections on man camps, MRCC site and Roughrider Industries in budget hearing",780,242000,1022000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2663488-d194d6de2606a752c8ac0bf71ac55ad7&start=242&end=1022","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2663488-d194d6de2606a752c8ac0bf71ac55ad7/thumbnail_242000.jpg","/articles/6127368/North-Dakota/Lawmakers-press-Department-of-Corrections-on-man-camps-MRCC-site-and-Roughrider-Industries-in-budget-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6127368-1c5487165027d08916f653e790f60cdb/orig.mp4?Expires=1776322235&Signature=IXOZkSXL0O6Pemb7cVDFdEqGmWh0ctZcrABN76zjiuA4NObiECoPE8taXl6BBnTjFc494J5kDJ56BBKU2yQWyyxuXRlJ~kpvoiB3KZ~rIu~3sws4TT~44YUIilV~3WHMg3-asXj3ZxwcxBON~lNY8KuAh9JdXkKLgl9IgXveIBuItk4O1dLD4Q6fF5HxmUAIjSHFkrMt4wBzqlNaGRpMIWbL9Q9cEEBof7gxBOxFk4ReIE2YfG~p930H2ZCqENjK22dFUl9LAu3x4c6sOBGpU6bXZT2lC5K6yK8ogFG7gSnXyqd-CAqcqgh-76w8gkfHvTPesXtlgf1z9D3fgjI5jQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Chairman Nelson called the Appropriations - Human Resources Division section to order and asked department officials about several corrections capital and operating items, including temporary “man camp” housing, plans for a new MRCC facility and possible reuse of vacated state lab space.

The discussion focused on trade-offs between building new permanent facilities and short-term modular housing. Chris Jangula, chief physical plant officer for the Department of Corrections, told the committee the department’s current request budgets five modular buildings for the 72-bed man camp: two would be used as housing and three are modular “shell” units that can be fitted for recreation, programming or meals. “They need to be... self sufficient units,” Jangula said, describing units that plug into power and have their own sewer and fire systems but require site hookups.

The committee pressed whether the modular units would be reusable if a permanent facility were later built. Colby Braun, director of the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, said reuse is possible but not certain and that the decision would be up to the youth corrections center and future planning decisions. “There is the potential…to reuse them,” Braun said, adding he could not commit to reuse without further analysis.

Lawmakers asked about vendor options and pricing. Jangula said the department used Target Logistics for current budget pricing and had reached out to three vendors in the spring; at that time only one vendor was willing to sell. He said the department would seek additional vendors if the request is funded. Representative Anderson and others asked about the condition and suitability of units; Jangula said condition and configuration vary by price and use.

Members also discussed siting for a proposed replacement of the MRCC 600-bed facility. Braun said an architectural analysis compared rebuilding at the existing MRCC site and building instead on the North Dakota State Penitentiary (NDSP) grounds. The report found poor soils at MRCC would require raising a new building “several feet, 4 or 5, 6 feet” to get above the floodplain, substantially increasing cost. Braun said the firm’s estimate for planning and design was about $23,000,000 for the MRCC project.

Braun summarized tradeoffs: keeping the facility at MRCC is operationally preferable to Roughrider Industries and local operations, but NDSP offers synergies such as shared staff and medical services. He also warned of flood risk: “we would be spending $500,000,000 to build a building in the flood plain,” he said, urging caution about siting in low ground that flooded previously.

Committee members probed potential gains from colocating Roughrider Industries and the new facilities. Braun and Jangula said relocating Roughrider would require new production buildings and could affect operations; the department would need to work through those details with Roughrider leadership.

The committee asked whether the state lab building being vacated with the new lab had been considered as a DOCR site. Jangula said the department has reviewed that building and identified potential uses including training, Roughrider Industries space, office space or parole and probation offices, but would require renovation funding to adapt the building for corrections use.

Representatives raised durability and flood-protection questions about siting man camps and the modular units. Jangula said the current man camps would be placed inside the existing dike and “inside of it, very close to it,” while other sites such as Game and Fish property east of the NDSP grounds sit in the Hay Creek flood plain and were not considered suitable.

On financing and procurement, Braun confirmed the MRCC building and other capital projects would be procured via RFPs; the department used budget pricing from vendors for planning and said it would seek competitive bids if funded. Several legislators asked the department to return with more detailed cost breakdowns and reuse analyses before any final appropriation.

No formal motion or vote was recorded in the hearing record excerpted here.","Appropriations members questioned Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation officials about proposed man camps, reuse of existing buildings, and a $23 million planning estimate for a 600-bed MRCC replacement, flagging floodplain risk and reuse of Roughrider Industries facilities.","actionData","errors"]

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Victim-service providers urge $7 million state supplement as federal VOCA funding falls

Lawmakers press Department of Corrections on man camps, MRCC site and Roughrider Industries in budget hearing