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Lawmakers, advocates urge roughly $21.38 million to shore up Washington victim services
Summary
Advocates and Democratic lawmakers said the state needs about $21.38 million in the current budget to prevent victim-services programs from closing, warning that cuts have already led to layoffs and that restoration is needed to keep forensic interviewers, crisis advocates and coordinated teams operational.
Advocates and state lawmakers said at a press conference in Olympia that Washington needs roughly $21.38 million in the current budget to prevent victim-services programs statewide from closing.
"We are at a breaking point," Colleen McGingles, executive director of the Children's Justice Center of King County, said, urging the Legislature to "restore the additional $10,000,000 in victim services funding" or risk programs shutting their doors. McGingles warned that losing forensic interviewers, crisis-line advocates and coordinated response teams would take years to rebuild.
Kate Garvey,…
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