DOCR budget hearing focuses on VOCA shortfall; agency seeks $7 million one‑time SIF to stabilize victim services grants

Chairman Nelson and members of the Appropriations committee heard on record testimony from Michelle Zander, Chief Financial Officer for the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, that the department is seeking a one‑time $7,000,000 allocation of SIF funding to backfill reduced federal VOCA awards and maintain victim services grants.

Zander said the adult services line holds the department’s interstate compact program, victim services and associated administration. She told the committee that the department has moved an existing victim services coordinator FTE into this line from transitional planning to “build up our victim program.” She also described several operating costs, including travel for returning interstate compact offenders and outreach printing for crime victims programs.

Committee members pressed Zander on the department’s grant and expenditure history. Zander and Charlie Hedden, the department’s grants and contracts manager, explained that historically large VOCA awards were drawn down over multiple years and that recent federal awards to the state have fallen. Zander said VOCA contractor rates and wage caps contributed to an increase in department costs. She told the committee the line in the executive recommendation shows $11,600,000 in grants and benefits and that the decision package asks for $7,000,000 in one‑time SIF funding.

Representative Murphy and others questioned whether the $7 million would simply replenish the fund so the department would not need additional state money next session. Zander characterized the $7 million request as a one‑time infusion and said the department hopes federal awards will rise in future years. She told the panel, “we are anticipating about 2,000,000 each year” in VOCA awards going forward.

Hedden told the committee the VOCA/CVC line contains two pockets: the federal VOCA awards and state crime victims compensation (CVC) payouts. He estimated about $1,600,000 in additional expenditures could be claimed by June 30 and said “so in this line item, potentially $2,000,000 around $2,000,000 could yet be expended,” reflecting both VOCA and CVC activity and the timing of subrecipient claims.

Department staff characterized the recent decline in award sizes and the end of multi‑year distributions as the driver of the shortfall. They said the VOCA program previously benefited from an $8.1 million award that was spread over multiple years and that current annual awards to the state are expected to be roughly $2.0–2.4 million — a level staff said is insufficient to sustain the existing subrecipient awards of roughly $5.5–5.8 million per year.

Committee members also asked about operating increases in the victim compensation and program lines. Zander said some growth reflects targeted outreach and temporary staff to process claims and respond to audit recommendations; the department is acting as “payer of last resort” for certain crime victim claims and must reimburse eligible medical, funeral and mental‑health expenses after other sources have paid.

The department provided a list of recent subrecipients; Hedden said the VOCA program typically funds between 38 and 42 organizations. Hedden and Zander both emphasized that timing of subrecipient expenditures (quarterly claim submissions) affects the department’s year‑to‑date spending profile.

The hearing record contains no formal committee vote on the SIF request; the appropriation is a decision‑package request presented for committee consideration.