Governor Kathy Hochul today announced that 65 programs across the state will receive funding as part of a $5 million investment to support the needs of survivors and victims of domestic violence. Delivering on Governor Hochul's State of the State priority, this year’s Enacted Budget established the Survivors Access Financial Empowerment (SAFE) fund as a recurring funding stream for survivors of domestic violence. The Governor also secured $35 million in the Budget to provide law enforcement and district attorneys with the tools they need to prevent and prosecute crimes of domestic violence through evidence-driven, survivor-centered, and trauma informed interventions.
“I remain deeply committed to supporting New Yorkers impacted by domestic violence and to investing in new strategies to address the harms of abuse,” Governor Hochul said. “For many survivors, limited access to finances remains an obstacle to securing greater safety for themselves and their families. This investment in targeted emergency assistance will allow survivors to gain stability and focus on healing.”
The awards will be distributed by the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence to programs that directly serve survivors and victims and will be used for critical needs such as education and training to secure employment, food and household supplies, moving expenses, legal assistance, utility payments, transportation, and physical and mental health services, as well as child-related services. New York remains one of only two states in the country to appropriate state dollars for this type of flexible financial assistance.
Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence Executive Director Kelli Owens said, “This funding will provide critical emergency assistance to survivors and victims of domestic violence, helping them with basic needs and in many cases, find safety and security. Thank you, Governor Kathy Hochul, for this investment and thank you to everyone who participated in the discussions on how to best administer the funds.”
Division of Criminal Justice Services Commissioner Rossana Rosado said, “We at DCJS thank Governor Hochul for her critical leadership on domestic violence prevention and survivor services. We are proud to work with our state agency partners, like OPDV, to improve public safety by supporting effective domestic violence interventions that help save lives. Our partnerships with state and local agencies, including law enforcement leaders and domestic violence service providers, make all the difference as we scale our efforts to prevent and reduce this pervasive violence.”
The New York State Office of Victim Services (OVS) also supports services through its statewide network of victim assistance programs, while offering financial assistance to provide a critical safety net and helps victims of crime, including domestic violence survivors, with medical and counseling expenses, funeral and burial expenses, lost wages and support. New York is the only state in the nation with no cap on medical or counseling costs, which means individuals can receive assistance as long as they need it. While eligibility for compensation or reimbursement is determined by an individual's access to resources, including health insurance, and restitution and civil settlements resulting from the crime, victim assistance programs provide services and support at no cost to anyone who needs them.
New York State Office of Victim Services Acting Director and Counsel John Watson said, “OVS is proud to partner with Governor Hochul, OPDV and DCJS on the critical mission of supporting domestic violence survivors. We thank the Governor and our partner agencies for their work to help ensure that survivors receive the resources they need to overcome the challenges they face and to thrive. We would also like to remind survivors and providers that OVS is here to help.”
OVS Resource Connect is an online tool that allows New Yorkers to easily search for programs by specific concerns or issues they are facing. Visit the Office of Victim Services' website for more information and follow the agency on Twitter and Facebook.
Victims of domestic violence seeking financial assistance may visit opdv.ny.gov to find a list of providers in your area. The state's Domestic and Sexual Violence Hotline is available 24/7: 800-942-6906 (call), 844-997-2121 (text) or @opdv.ny.gov (chat).
A list of programs receiving awards is available here.