Dane County commission flags gaps in shelters, mental-health and financial services as victimization rises

The Dane County Commission on Sensitive Crimes told a joint meeting of the county’s Policy, Public Safety & Justice and Health and Human Needs committees on May 22 that rising victimization and reduced funding have left serious gaps in services for victims across age and need groups.

Dana (chair, Dane County Commission on Sensitive Crimes) summarized the commission’s priorities and four coordinated community response (CCR) teams, saying the commission focuses on abuse involving older adults, people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD), child abuse and neglect, and domestic violence and sexual assault. “We have people who are dying in our streets, and that is unacceptable,” Dana said.

The commission, an advisory body created by Dane County ordinance, recommended expanding crisis and in-home mental-health outreach, increasing access to forensic accounting and certified fiduciaries for elder financial abuse cases, and creating medical and shelter resources tailored to frail older adults. It also flagged shortages in trauma-informed, accessible counseling and the need for better transitional planning for people with IDD moving from child to adult services.

Why it matters: The commission said federal and state funding reductions—most notably a sharp drop in Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) pass-throughs to Wisconsin—have forced local victim-service providers to cut staff and programs. That reduction, combined with long waits for mental-health care and…