How Pennsylvania's budget impasse is impacting domestic violence programs
Pennsylvania has now gone nearly 100 days without state funding after lawmakers in Harrisburg failed to pass a budget by the deadline of June 30, 2025. The lack of funding has impacted counties, school districts, social service agencies and organizations across Pennsylvania, including groups that serve domestic violence victims, who say they’re now forced to lay off staff members.
“There are about 2,500 workers at domestic violence programs at risk of losing their jobs,” Susan Higginbotham, the Chief Executive Officer of the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, told NBC10. “And so those folks are essential to providing competent services to people who need it. And domestic violence should be considered an essential service and therefore funded even when there’s a budget impasse.”
State money flows through the coalition to the 59 agencies that serve domestic violence survivors across Pennsylvania.
“Right now, the state of Pennsylvania owes domestic violence programs nearly $11 million in funding,” Higginbotham said. “And so not having that money is putting great stress on domestic violence programs that serve Pennsylvanians every single day.”
On Friday, Oct. 3, the Pennsylvania Treasurer’s Office offered a “bridge loan” to cash-strapped organizations, saying they could “apply for 25% of their state allocation received last year.” The loan as well as the interest would have to be paid back within 10 days of state funds being released. That can only happen when a state budget is passed. But according to Higginbotham, the loan isn’t a viable solution.
“There’s a bit of a catch because it would come with a 4.5% interest rate and on that amount of money it would be about $260,000,” Higginbotham said. “And that is something that domestic violence programs cannot absorb.”
If you or someone you know is experiencing domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline by calling 1-800-799-SAFE (7233), visiting www.thehotline.org or texting LOVEIS to 22522.
