JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - The Family Crisis Center faces funding challenges as cases and services continue to rise.
Executive Director Casey Kidd said organizations like the Family Crisis Center receive funding through a program called the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA).
“It’s federal-level funding that passes through a state agency, and then agencies are able to apply for that if they are serving victims,” Kidd said
Kidd said over the last several years, there’s been a reduction in what VOCA gets, and that this year is the most crucial.
VOCA gets its funding from criminal fines, settlements, and penalties. Kidd also said Congress sets a spending cap every year for the fund.
“A big piece of the reduction is that the number of large federal crime settlements has decreased, which means that