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F I S C A L    I M P A C T    R E P O R T

 

 

SPONSOR

King

DATE TYPED

2/4/04

HB

424

 

SHORT TITLE

Santa Fe Rape Victim Children’s Therapy

SB

 

 

 

ANALYST

Maloy

 

APPROPRIATION

 

Appropriation Contained

Estimated Additional Impact

Recurring

or Non-Rec

Fund

Affected

FY04

FY05

FY04

FY05

 

$30.0

 

See Narrative

Recurring

General Fund

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

 

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

 

Responses Received From

Children, Youth and Families Department

 

SUMMARY

 

Synopsis of Bill

 

House Bill 424 appropriates $30.0 thousand from the General Fund to the Local Government Division of the Department of Finance and Administration for expenditure in FY05 to support a therapy program for children of victims of rape and domestic violence.  Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY05 shall revert to the General Fund.

 

Significant Issues

 

  • Early intervention services provide the greatest opportunity for saving these children from on-going negative impacts, including juvenile crime, dropping out of school, teen pregnancy, and a continued cycle of abuse.  Experts have estimated that early intervention and treatment has the potential of saving $7 dollars for every dollar invested.

 

  • The Children, Youth and Families Department facilitates the provision of behavioral health and intervention services for children of abuse. This appropriation will allow the department to extend its internal budget resources in the Protective Services and Family Services Programs further, benefiting the department’s statewide efforts.

 

  • It is important that local programs coordinate effectively with the Children, Youth and Families Department, and other treatment entities, to ensure coordination with Medicaid, Foster Care, and adoption, the courts, and all other invested entities.   To be successful, there needs to be a comprehensive, wrap-around approach to treating children of abuse.

 

  • In addition to treating children, parents need treatment, particularly mothers who suffer violence at the hands of a spouse or partner.  Those who cannot control their temper need meaningful anger management treatment. Domestic violence abusers who refuse help, or who are unwilling or unable to change their ways, must be effectively addressed through the criminal process. 

 

  • Those who engage in sexual abuse of a child must be effectively addressed through the criminal process, as the recidivism rate is so high. 

 

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

 

House Bill 424 appropriates $30.0 thousand from the General Fund to the Local Government Division of the Department of Finance and Administration for expenditure in FY05 to support a therapy program for children of victims of rape and domestic violence.  Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY05 shall revert to the General Fund.

 

 

SJM/yr