Local Domestic Violence Services Face Funding Cuts

By Margo Amelong, Executive Director of the Support Center & Kat Goering, Executive Director at Room One

This year, organizations who support victims of crime, like The Support Center in Okanogan County, are expecting a 23%-30% cut in their funding from the State of Washington. These funding cuts mean fewer resources will be available to all survivors of crime in Okanogan County. Victims Services are critical in our rural areas. Without them, people will need to travel at least 2 hours to get help which means they will likely stay in unsafe situations. 

Families who have experienced domestic violence will be particularly impacted by these funding cuts. Domestic violence is a complex issue with no simple answers and it is present in every corner of Okanogan County. Domestic Violence is not physical violence alone. It's any coercive patterned behavior intended to gain or maintain power and control over a spouse, partner, girlfriend, boyfriend or intimate family member. It's not caused by anger, mental problems, drugs or alcohol or other common excuses. See the National Network to End Domestic Violence to learn more. 

Domestic violence not only affects those who are abused, but has a substantial effect on family members, friends, co-workers, other witnesses, and the community at large. Children who grow up witnessing domestic violence or are abused themselves are among those seriously affected. Growing up in the midst of violence puts people at risk of becoming a victim as an adult or even becoming a perpetrator. Violence of any kind poses significant threats to the health and stability of our communities.  

In Okanogan County, we have two agencies who specialize in crime-victim services, The Support Center and Room One. The Support Center is a nonprofit agency in the town of Okanogan that provides 24-hour crisis intervention, medical and legal advocacy, emergency shelter, food and clothing as well as many other services to survivors of crime including Domestic Violence, Sexual Assault and other crimes. Room One is located in Twisp and works with individuals and families experiencing violence by creating safety plans, referring them to resources and providing other wraparound services. Room One relies heavily on the expertise of The Support Center when it comes to the legal aspect of crime victim’s services.

To provide their services, programs like The Support Center receive federal, state and county funding. They partner and coordinate with many other agencies, providing referrals for physical and mental health services for survivors as well as crime victim compensation services provided by the state Department of Labor & Industries. From January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022, The Support Center provided services to 201 survivors of domestic violence, 41 survivors of sexual assault and 73 survivors of other crimes.

A network of Coalitions including the Washington State Coalition Against Domestic Violence, The Washington Coalition of Sexual Assault Programs, Office of Civil Legal Aid, Children’s Advocacy Centers of Washington, Northwest Immigrant Rights Project, and the Washington Sexual Assault Working Group have come together to request $132 million from state lawmakers for regular biennium funding for crime victim’s series.  Please consider joining this effort by reaching out to your legislators and asking them to support this request.

Winning Policy: Learning from (and about) the Working Families Tax Credit

Our July CHI Meeting focused on the Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC). Check out the entire meeting recording here!

The Working Families Tax Credit (WFTC) is a new state program that will provide 1 in 6 households in Washington State( many in Okanogan County) with up to $1200 a year to pay for things like food, gas, and childcare.

A great model Coalition model to move legislation:

The WFTC was brought forward by a coalition of partners, including food banks, domestic violence organizations, and anti-poverty groups, and approved with bi-partisan support. Take a look at the key components of how the WFTC was won:

See all the slides about how a Coalition won WFTC legislation here.

4,000 families in Okanogan County could benefit from the Tax Credit:

The tax credit will not be live until 2023, but partners are focusing on how to ensure rural communities like ours know about the cash-back opportunity. The need for our CHI network to understand the tax credit is high: 20% of families who qualified for the federal Earned Income Tax Credit miss out because of confusing eligibility process and access barriers.

To see a recording of the Okanogan CHI’s WFTC meeting:

Okanogan County Candidates Respond to CHI Issues

In the June, 2022 the Okanogan CHI held a forum for Okanogan County candidates for Sheriff, County Commissioner, and State Representative. Community health leaders talked with candidates about Housing, COVID-19, Smoke Readiness, Substance Use, At-Risk Youth, Community Health Workforce, Childcare and Mental Health, check out the recordings below.

Okanogan County Commissioner Candidates talk Housing, COVID-19, and Smoke Readiness

Okanogan County Sheriff Candidates talk Substance Use and Overdose, At-risk Youth, Partnerships with Community Health Networks

State Representative Candidates talk Community Health Workforce, Childcare, and Mental Health

How did the COVID Economic Downturn affect Health?

COVID-19 Economic Recession & Okanogan Community Health: February, 2021 CHI meeting summary

The connection between the economic health & wellbeing:

Health is influenced by many factors, not just disease. Overall health is affected by emotional, intellectual, social, physical, environmental, spiritual, and financial factors.

Okanogan County’s health indicators are poor in mental health, chronic disease, food security, obesity, and access to exercise. Okanogan’s socio-economic indicators are also poor relative to the state, we have a high adult & child poverty rate and limited availability of living-wage jobs. Ultimately, health and wellbeing is influenced most strongly by socio-economic factors; when economic downturns deteriorate socio-economic status, health and well-being suffers.

The impact of the economic downturn on community health:

High COVID-19 exposure & illness among farmworkers: COVID-19 hit farmworkers (one of our most vulnerable populations) in the summer of 2019 at the peak of cherry season, when many people are earning 80 - 90% of their annual wage, seasonal population grows, many multi-household childcare collaborations are needed so people can work, and many people cannot afford to take time off. Not a good environment for pandemic management, we didn’t have the protections in place to protect an essential workforce.

Rising stress and anxiety among mothers: Many mothers have taken the burden of all child rearing responsibilities during school closures (including home schooling), while continuing to work their paid job.  Mothers are dealing with rising stress, depression, anxiety. 

Absence of childcare prevents people from working: High turnover at businesses, many can’t work because they don’t have childcare or don’t have childcare that will be able to provide their kids sufficient education.

Lack of internet or phones severely limits access to resources: Those without phones or internet access can’t get the services they need. Lack of broadband is a growing issue that now affects school learning, remote businesses, telemedicine, precision agriculture, and other new technologies.

Kids with disabilities struggle to get sufficient support: Families who have children with disability are not able to get many of the resources they need, e.g. speech or physical therapy. Some are not getting the healthcare they need out of fear of COVID exposure.

High stress among front-line healthcare workers: Hard on staff, hard on clients. Social workers hear tough stories every day; the economic struggle is hard for clients, but it’s also hard on staff. Most state services immediately entered a hiring freeze, preventing reinforcements from coming in. 

High financial and emotional stress among small businesses: Recession has affected small businesses tremendously. Many who were otherwise prepared for a “rainy day” could not make it through a full year of being closed. Some are laying people off, closing permanently, or choosing to not re-open. Businesses were not given forbearance or deferment on their loans (unlike individuals), they were required to pay high overhead expenses, including rent. Government funding was able to help some of these people, but many were worried they would lose their homes if their business failed. Family owned and operated businesses were uniquely affected because every single household member lost income.  Stress levels were high among business owners: changes to opening, closing, and  funding put them on an emotional rollercoaster.

What we learned: socio-economic stabilizers in an economic downturn

Protect our workforce and invest in our most vulnerable populations: If workforce can endure, we are better positioned to support the economy

Increase community health infrastructure: In the pandemic, this involved direct outreach workers, increased contact tracing, and support with isolation and quarantine but community health systems should be mobilized in recessions in multiple ways.

Create affordable, accessible childcare options: Childcare is critical to essential workers, demand for childcare, particularly among 0 - 3 is very high when people need to work to make ends meet. A safe place for kids to go when household stress is high is critical.

Increase food support and cash assistance: People needed more than “usual” benefits, and many people who previously qualified accessed this support for the first time.  

Make access to benefits as quick and efficient as possible: Community health entities made all forms completable electronically and enabled people to get food benefit cards the same day. Not having to go in-person has been helpful for those who live far away.

Deliver direct financial assistance to small businesses: Partner with state, county, and municipalities to administer grants directly to small businesses,  including help with overhead expenses.

Provide 1:1 assistance to businesses most affected: Educate businesses on newly-available resources and re-look at business models, such as shifts to online retail and use of social media

Distribute more, high quality food: Good nutrition is critical for families to learn and people to stay healthy.

Prevent evictions; help with heating, utilities, and other essential costs: No one should lose the ability to be safe in their homes during a financial crisis.

How can we be more resilient to future economic downturns?

Increasingly flexible businesses: Adjust business models in recession times (e,g, brick and mortar vs. remote) and look for cost reduction opportunities.

Ensure childcare is available and affordable: Early childhood education lays the groundwork for healthy adults and enables workers to be flexible during downturns, it should be reliable and well funded.

Utilize the post-downturn period to step into new ideas that fit a changing market: Support innovators post-pandemic as they develop new ideas and approaches to business

Help household’s understand their monthly expenses and budget: Train people to spend money thoughtfully and reserve funds for critical expenses or crises. 

Develop and invest in a stronger safety net (housing, schools, apple health, etc.) and address generational poverty: Preserve health insurance coverage, nutrition programs, housing subsidies etc. to improve health in ways that bouey the economy

Reduce poverty in general: Develop the Okanogan economy in ways that reduce unemployment and poverty.

Poverty and the economy:

“What are we missing out on because of the poverty that our county faces? What’s the opportunity cost? If we can lift people out of the impoverished conditions they live in, what would their contribution to the Okanogan economy be?”

“Why should we work to eliminate poverty? Because poverty costs money. Just in January, Okanogan County issued 1.9 million in food benefits. This money goes into the economy (which is good), but what would we do to attract a business that would bring in a $2 million payroll? We need to find a solution to the high unemployment and high poverty rate we have in this county.”

How has Okanogan’s economy changed?

Long-term Labor Market Trends in the Okanogan County Economy:

• Average annual Okanogan County unemployment rate in 2020 (9.4 percent) was still less than the rate in 2010 (10.7 percent) - during the “peak” of the recent Great Recession.

• However, the average annual nonfarm job loss-rate of minus-5.6 percent countywide in 2020 was worse than the minus-3.9 percent loss-rate in 2009.

• Agriculture lost jobs at an annualized loss rate of minus-2.5 percent (down 1,260 jobs) from 2009-2019. Conversely, transportation and warehousing added jobs at an annualized growth rate of 15.5 percent (up 306 jobs).

Recent Labor Market Trends (2019 - 2020)  in the Okanogan County Economy

• Unemployment rate rose from 6.8 percent in 2019 to 9.4 percent in 2020. COVID related layoffs drove rates up from April through November 2020. 

• The Okanogan County nonfarm market lost 710 jobs in 2020 (down 5.6 percent). Washington state lost 160,900 jobs in 2020 (down 4.6 percent)

•  Sectors losing jobs in 2020: over eighty percent of jobs lost were in leisure and hospitality (down 250 jobs) or state and local government (down 330). 

•  Sectors gaining jobs in 2020: federal government (up 40 jobs) and manufacturing (up 20 jobs).

• Unemployment rate rose from 6.8 percent in 2019 to 9.4 percent in 2020. COVID related layoffs drove rates up from April through November 2020. 

•  The Okanogan County nonfarm market lost 710 jobs in 2020 (down 5.6 percent). Washington state lost 160,900 jobs in 2020 (down 4.6 percent).

• Sectors losing jobs in 2020: over eighty percent of jobs lost were in leisure and hospitality (down 250 jobs) or state and local government (down 330). 

• Sectors gaining jobs in 2020: federal government (up 40 jobs) and manufacturing (up 20 jobs).