SIOUX CITY, Iowa (KTIV) -
Concern over the state of Iowa's plan to consolidate assault and abuse services boiled over in Sioux City on Friday.
During a public meeting, the state's Crime Victim Assistance Director went over the proposal to regionalize shelters, domestic abuse programs, and sexual assault services.
The changes come after years of cuts to the Iowa Victim Services budget. Last year, the state and federal government took away one-million dollars from the program. Another million is expected to be cut next year.
The state believes the changes will help reach more victims and spread taxpayer dollars further. Local advocates want the state to go back to the drawing board.
It's been 15 years since Diane Jacobson escaped abuse and sought shelter. Today, she's scared. Not of her abuser, but of changes to the services she once relied upon.
"The shelter was there for me when I needed it, and I'm really afraid it might not be for somebody who does," said Jacobson.
From fear to frustration, representatives for Council on Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence say the state's given them an ultimatum.
"Just leave us alone and let us do what we need to serve the people in our community rather than dictating from Des Moines,"said Joe Twidwell, the CSADV Treasurer.
The state says their tightening budget dictates they find a way to make their money go further.
"Even though they might be really effective now, how effective will you be with a large cut if that's what it comes to?" Janelle Melohn, Crime Victim Assistance Division Director pointed out.
The state is proposing that each of the six regions will have one to two shelters, one or two domestic abuse programs, and one or two sexual abuse programs. There are three shelters in our proposed region, in Sioux City, Sioux Center, and Spencer. A decision should come by the end of the year.
Stretching services to a 20 county region is a major concern, with victims facing a long drive to reach a shelter or speak to a counselor.
"If you're going to stick shelters out in the middle of no where, is there going to be law enforcement that respond in a timely manner?" asked Sioux City Police Chief Doug Young.
Melohn says too many victims are falling through the cracks. Budget cuts have shuttered programs across the state, creating a domino effect by putting more pressure on existing shelters.
"With the cuts, if we don't have money to make up for that influx of victims you're receiving, then what?" said Melohn.
Some, at Friday's public meeting wondered why the legislature would return the state's 600-million dollar surplus to taxpayers, as the Governor's suggested, instead of injecting it into programs in need.
"We've got some room and some flexibility to probably accommodate both," said State Representative Chuck Soderberg of Le Mars, Iowa. That's if, Iowa doesn't lose $700-million from the federal government next year. There are no guarantees, which is why Crime Victims Assistance says they are moving forward with a plan to close shelters across the state.
"It's very difficult to argue with the numbers that overall we're only serving 11% of victims in shelter. We're serving 88-89% of victims outside of shelter, yet we're advocating 40% of our resources to shelter services," said Melohn.
Melohn suggested redirecting the budget toward non-traditional forms of shelter, hotels, safe houses, and apartments, to save on the cost of running a shelter. But, critics say the most important statistic is being left out the number of lives saved by the shelters that exist today.
"The money they're spending on that, I'm sorry, but I think they're going to spend it on funerals," said Jacobson.
