Michigan child advocacy centers ask Legislature for $12 million to close funding gap, warn services and staffing strained

Directors of Michigan children's advocacy centers told the Michigan House Appropriations Subcommittee on Public Health on April 22, 2025, that current state and federal funding is insufficient to meet demand and that centers across the state face staffing shortages and rising caseloads.

"When a child suffers abuse, their world fractures," said Josh Bissell, director of multidisciplinary team training and initiatives for Children's Advocacy Centers of Michigan, at the start of the subcommittee—s presentation. "CACs coordinate these multidisciplinary teams. They ensure that no child falls through the cracks." Bissell represented the statewide chapter that supports 40 centers in Michigan.

The subcommittee heard that Michigan has about 40 children's advocacy centers (CACs) statewide, 33 of which are fully accredited with the National Children's Alliance and seven in developing status. Presenters said five counties (Ontonagon, Gogebic, Cass, St. Joseph and Monroe) lack formal agreements with a local CAC and instead receive courtesy services when requested.

Why it matters: CACs provide trauma-informed forensic interviews, medical exams, victim advocacy, case management and therapy that directors said reduce retraumatization and improve prosecution outcomes. Alex Brace, executive director of Small Talk Children's Advocacy Center and board chair of Children's Advocacy Centers of Michigan, told the subcommittee the centers are seeking two budget actions: $6 million in recurring statewide appropriation and a one-time $6 million allocation to bridge a sharp decline in federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant funding.

What the subcommittee heard about current funding and spending - The Child Advocacy Centers restricted fund is authorized at $1,400,000 and is drawn from civil infraction fee revenue. House fiscal analyst Sydney Brown said the restricted line is administered by the Domestic Violence and Treatment Board and supports accredited CACs via grants allocated by prior service volumes. Brown said roughly $212,800 had been spent from that fund so far in fiscal year 2025. - A separate supplemental grants line is currently $2,000,000 in general fund; it was created in fiscal year 2023 to allow CACs more flexibility for administrative spending because the restricted fund limits administrative uses to about 10 percent. Brown reported about $890,100 had been spent from that supplemental line so far in fiscal year 2025.

Local center data and needs - Rachel DeWitt, executive director of the Ottawa County CAC, said her center reaches roughly 19,000 elementary students annually through prevention education, trained 1,500 adults last year and conducted 340 forensic interviews in 2024 (a one-month record of 38 interviews in October 2024). She said her center provided about 200 counseling sessions per month and saw a 25 percent increase in counseling demand last year. DeWitt estimated the approximate cost for a child to receive one month of typical CAC services (forensic interview, medical exam, advocacy and four counseling sessions) at about $1,500 and said services are provided free to families. - Centers reported workforce constraints and wait lists. Brace said the statewide average wait for therapy at some centers is about four months; several center directors said funding instability makes it difficult to hire and retain therapists and forensic interviewers.

Voices from the centers - "The CAC model is one proven through evidence to be effective and impactful," Brace said, adding that the requested recurring $6 million would help address rising demand and workforce shortages. He also asked for a one-time $6 million allocation to stabilize services after VOCA grant reductions, which he said had declined by roughly 80 percent since 2019. - Tricia Shuster, vice president of programs at Care House of Oakland County, described CAC facilities as neutral, child-friendly spaces that reduce the trauma of investigative processes: "These parents are terrified. We welcome them in. We bring them into a child-friendly facility that has none of the markings of a police station." - Matt Henry, executive director of the Lapeer County CAC, described local impact stories and said smaller counties struggle to sustain prevention programming and therapy slots without more stable funding.

Questions and clarifications from the subcommittee Members asked about the apparent difference between the $1.4 million authorized restricted fund and the annual amounts actually distributed. Sydney Brown explained the fund is authorized at $1.4 million but actual distributions depend on grant awards and prior-year service levels; unspent restricted fund balances roll forward. Brown also said the larger fund that feeds the restricted line contains statutory earmarks for multiple public safety programs, which can leave less available for CACs unless specifically appropriated.

Committee members asked for additional data the centers said they could provide: statewide caseload totals (presenters cited roughly 27,000 children served in CAC forensic interviews over the last three years), county-level coverage, accreditation status and prosecution outcomes tied to CAC involvement.

Votes at a glance - Approval of minutes from the April 22, 2025 meeting: motion moved by Representative O'Neil; minutes approved by unanimous voice vote (no objections recorded in transcript). (Action recorded in committee minutes.) - Motion to excuse absent members and adjourn: motion moved; committee approved and adjourned (voice action; transcript notes no dissent).

No appropriation or formal authorization for the $6 million recurring request or the one-time VOCA bridge was made during the hearing. The presentation functioned as testimony to inform subcommittee members as they consider budget recommendations.

Ending Committee members thanked the CAC leaders for testifying and requested follow-up materials on county coverage, accreditation discrepancies and comparative funding models from other states. The presenters offered to provide additional data to the subcommittee.