Testifiers urge House Finance to restore funding for child advocacy centers and victim services

Verna Stanfield, executive director of the Alaska Network on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault, told the House Finance Committee on March 13 that child advocacy centers (CACs) around the state need more money to serve children who have experienced abuse. “Having a welcoming, child-friendly space with the proper supports to serve children impacted by physical and sexual abuse and their non‑offending caregiver is a core component of our state's response,” Stanfield said during public testimony.

Stanfield and other witnesses warned the committee that several victim‑support funding streams have shrunk or are at risk. Stanfield said the operating budget includes a $5,500,000 increment for CACs through the Department of Family and Community Services. She also told the committee the Victims of Crime Compensation Board (VCCB) has “continued to experience cuts” and that the board is now expected to have less than $1,000,000 to distribute statewide this year, down from $3,300,000 in FY24.

Eileen Arnold, executive director of the Tundra Women’s Coalition in Bethel, said shelters and emergency programs rely on a patchwork of funding, including the Homeless Assistance Program and the Supported Needs Housing (SNUG) grant administered through the Alaska Housing Finance Corporation. Arnold said her program uses homeless assistance funds “to pay for a portion of their operations” and described difficulty hiring for specialized CAC positions, including forensic interviewers, because current pay cannot attract qualified candidates.

Lee Bollin, executive director of the Resource Center for Parents and Children and president of the board of the Alaska Children’s Alliance, described CACs’ role in multidisciplinary criminal investigations. “Alaska CACs are statutorily mandated to collaborate with a multidisciplinary team to include law enforcement, the Office of Children’s Services, and the District Attorney’s Office to respond in cases of child sexual abuse,” Bollin said, and added that Alaska’s CACs “face imminent funding cuts that would severely impact our ability to continue providing 24/7 responses to child maltreatment.”

Committee members asked clarifying questions about how some victim funds are financed. Stanfield explained that the VCCB is funded through the restorative justice account, which receives a share of Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD) forfeiture or felony‑related funds; when that revenue falls, VCCB allocation falls as well. “The way that it is funded is through the restorative justice account, which is the PFD felon dollars,” Stanfield said. “If the dividend goes down, then we would expect that it would go down, and then there would have to be a decision made whether there would be general funds put in its place or not.”

Several witnesses thanked the committee for prior aid: Arnold noted the committee’s work to maintain a $3,700,000 appropriation to the Council on Domestic Violence and Sexual Assault last year and asked lawmakers to anticipate additional requests next year when some federal funding sunsets. Stanfield said her network would likely return to request a roughly $4,200,000 state solution next year to replace expiring federal dollars.

Why this matters: CACs, forensic interviewers, shelters, and victim compensation funds provide immediate services to children and adult victims after violent crimes; providers said cuts would reduce timely interviews, housing assistance and other services that also support criminal investigations and longer‑term recovery. Providers urged the committee to protect the $5.5 million CAC increment in the operating budget and to consider state backstops when federal or formula revenues decline.

The House Finance Committee accepted public testimony and will consider these requests as it completes operating budget work this week. The committee’s next public hearing was scheduled for March 14.