On March 23, Governor Tomblin used his line-item veto power to cut several early childhood and domestic violence programs from the FY2015 budget passed by the legislature. This included over $1 million in cuts to In-Home Family Education, Family Resource Networks and Starting Points Family Resource Centers, Child Advocacy Centers, domestic violence programs and services, and child abuse prevention. Many of these programs have seen cuts in prior years or have not had any funding increases for years, while the cost of services and the increase in the number of families needing assistance has continued to rise, making it impossible to serve as many families and children. Read PDF of report.
The good news is that it is not too late to restore these cuts. Governor Tomblin has indicated he plans to call a Special Legislative Session on May 19 and that a supplemental appropriations bill to restore these cuts could be part of that agenda.
This report looks at the important family support programs that were cut, the important communities they serve, the money they leverage, and the strong support they have in West Virginia. Read PDF of report.
