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Arizona Domestic Violence Shelters Legal Aid Funding in Jeopardy

Victims of domestic violence may go without legal help until further notice. The Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education (The Foundation) submitted a new grant application to the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) in January 2006. The DOJ has been a vital funding partner in the Arizona Domestic Violence Legal Assistance Program for the last two years. Yet, just a few weeks ago, Arizona learned that new regulations forced the DOJ to delay funding notifications from July to October. The result is that the shelters and legal aid agencies are without that funding over this four month period.



For the last two years, the DOJ has provided federal funds, assisting in leveraging the state support for the program, to aid domestic violence victims facing legal issues. The Foundation administers program which includes state DES and private funding in addition to the funds from DOJ. The program provides grants to ten domestic violence shelters and three legal aid agencies throughout Arizona. The grant, which ran from July 1st, 2004 through June 30th, 2006, totaled $650,000.



As it would be for any individual managing a budget, pulling four months's8217; worth of funds from a shelter's8217;s budget is devastating.



's8220;The gap in funding will gravely hurt the Mohave County community. Just Friday we had a high risk case go to criminal trial for an abuser violating an order of protection three times. If (our lay advocate) was not funded, the victim would have been lost and even more scared to testify against her abuser,'s8221; said Kim Miles from Westcare Safehouse in Bullhead City.



Southern Arizona Legal Aid, an agency that covers seven Arizona counties, has one and a half attorneys funded by DOJ. These attorneys will handle approximately 278 cases for domestic violence victims during this four month period, according to Tom Berning, Executive Director of Southern Arizona Legal Aid.



While the effects of losing the DOJ grant will set the program back, it may also provide an opportunity for the state to be less dependent on federal funding. 's8220;This is a local issue that requires a local response,'s8221; said Jeff Schrade, Program Director at the Arizona Foundation for Legal Services & Education. 's8220;We are already searching for local funds to make this program stronger and more sustainable. The outpouring of support by our community for victims of domestic violence through events like the Walk for Domestic Violence and the Arizona Republic's8217;s Season for Sharing are encouraging. But few can break the cycle of victimization without some form of legal help, and legal help for victims will be dramatically reduced if local funds cannot be raised to meet the shortfall, and fast.'s8221;



To make a donation or find out how you can help, please contact Lara Slifko at 602-340-7235 or by e-mail.

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