Press Release  MOVA & VWAB CHAIR ATTORNEY GENERAL CAMPBELL ADVOCATE FOR $20M LIFELINE INVESTMENT IN VICTIM SERVICE FUNDING

BOSTON, MA., Jan. 18, 2024 — The Massachusetts Office for Victim Assistance (MOVA) continues to advocate for ‘VOCA Bridge’ funding to sustain victim and survivor services in Massachusetts. The VOCA Bridge is a $20 million funding request to mitigate impending cuts to programs traditionally supported by the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).

VOCA funding is at a historical low which impacts funding available for programming in every county in Massachusetts. This $20M investment from the state will ensure sustainability of critical victim service programs throughout the Commonwealth and ensure that free access to trauma-informed services remains accessible amid devastating reductions in federal funding.

“Without this lifeline investment from the Legislature, all programs funded by MOVA will be facing funding cuts on July 1, 2024,” said Liam Lowney, Executive Director of MOVA, “Funding cuts will result in loss of jobs for service providers and decrease support and services for victims and survivors, despite the reality that the demand for services has increased.”

To date, the Legislature has allocated $40 million to support the VOCA Bridge in fiscal year 2023 (FY23) and fiscal year 2024 (FY24). In FY23 alone, VOCA Bridge funding supported over 33,000 individuals in Massachusetts in addition to the nearly 53,000 supported with federal VOCA dollars. More information about the impact this funding has in Massachusetts is detailed here.

“VOCA funding is a critical tool to serve victims and survivors, providing necessary assistance and support for those personally impacted by violence and subsequent trauma,” said Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell. “With the recent cuts in federal funding, it is imperative that we pass VOCA Bridge funding to ensure organizations funded by MOVA continue to have capacity to serve and raise awareness about their services all across the Commonwealth.”

To learn more about advocacy efforts for the VOCA Bridge and what’s at risk without an additional investment, please visit the MOVA digital toolkit.

MOVA is an independent state agency who strives to advance victim rights by ensuring all victims and survivors of crime across the Commonwealth are supported and empowered. MOVA operates under the guidance of the VWAB, chaired by Attorney General Andrea Joy Campbell, whom oversee MOVA’s priorities, including administering state and federal funds for victims and survivors of crime across the Commonwealth though the Federal Victims of Crime Act of 1984 (VOCA).

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