Domestic violence programs devastated by budget cuts: Governor uses veto power to slash social services

Jul. 30--VICTORVILLE

--The Victor Valley's only domestic violence shelters and state-funded substance abuse program are looking to lay off workers and drastically scale back services after Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger used his veto power to raid up to 40 percent of their budgets.

"He wiped us out," said Margaret Diaz, executive director of A Better Way Victor Valley domestic violence program in Victorville. "Now instead of giving women a helping hand, it's going to be a handout when they come into our shelter. Now, we're going to be a Band-Aid on a large cut."

When the Legislature's deal to close a roughly $24 billion budget gap landed on his desk, Schwarzenegger made an additional $489 million in line-item cuts primarily from social services, including $16 million from domestic violence programs.

For Diaz and Darryl Evey, executive director of the 25-year-old High Desert D o m e s t i c Vi o l e n ce Program, the governor's move eliminated about 4 0 p e rce n t o f t h e i r budgets.

"The governor has decided we don't need domestic violence shelters in the state of California," said Evey, whose Victorville shelter is losing $207,000 on top of a $43,000 state cut last year.

Both directors said the cuts will revert their programs back to a bareboned service, providing emergency housing and helping with restraining orders but nothing left to counsel the women and keep them from going back to abusive relationships.

Diaz said she may have to lay off staff and eliminate all support services for abused women, including funds for job searches, community outreach efforts, parenting classes, educational services and more.

"Forty percent of our budget is going to set us back 15 years," Diaz said.

Evey said in addition to cutting support services,

his shelter will have to ax transportation for its clients, including transporting children to school.

Evey already gave up his salary and laid off half his staff in anticipation of budget cuts -- but he didn't expect to lose his state funds altogether. One of his staff members has volunteered to move into the shelter temporarily to save the costs of staffing it 24 hours per day.

St. John of God Health

Care Services, which serves the needy and recovering drug addicts in Victorville, may also lay off workers after losing about 20 percent of its budget because of state cuts, said Debbie Proper, interim administrator.

Proper estimates the center will lose about $100,000 from its drug and alcohol program and another $50,000 state grant that helped fill a food pantry and offer emergency-assistance services.

Diaz said the state cuts will prove devastating to the 94 organizations that rely on the funding to help end the vicious cycle of domestic violence, at a time when private donations are down dramatically and they're seeing more victims than ever. She's already heard some shelters may be shutting their doors for good.

"It's putting women and children at risk. ... I'm just devastated," Diaz said. "But we're going to continue to keep our shelter open and we will continue to do the best we can because that's what we're here for."

Natasha Lindstrom may be reached at 951-6232 or at nlind strom@VVDailyPress.com

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