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

SPONSOR	R. Romero		DATE TYPED	1/23/04		HB
SHORT TITLE		Statewide Domestic Violence Services				SB	157
					ANALYST		Maloy

APPROPRIATION

Appropriation Contained		Estimated Additional Impact		Recurring or Non-Rec	Fund Affected
FY04	FY05	FY04	FY05
	$3,000.0			Recurring	General Fund

(Parenthesis ( ) Indicate Expenditure Decreases)

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

LFC Files

Responses Received From

Children, Youth and Families Department

Department of Health

No Response Received From

Human Services Department

SUMMARY

Synopsis of Bill

Senate Bill 157 appropriates $3 million to the Children, Youth and Families Department for expenditure in FY05 to support treatment, shelter and counseling services for victims of domestic violence.

FISCAL IMPLICATIONS

The appropriation of $3 million contained in this bill will create a recurring service need and expense to the general fund. Any unexpended or unencumbered balance remaining at the end of FY05 shall revert to the general fund.

ADMINISTRATIVE IMPLICATIONS

There should be coordination with the Agency on Aging for addressing senior abuse.

OTHER SUBSTANTIATIVE ISSUES

According to the Department of Health:

· Domestic violence is one of the most serious public health problems in New Mexico. Data available from the “Incidence and Nature of Domestic Violence in New Mexico: An Analysis of 2002 Data from the New Mexico Interpersonal Violence Data Central Repository” indicates in 2002, there were 17,397 victims of domestic violence who were identified from 24,905 law enforcement incident reports. Incident reports were analyzed for 93 of 130 law enforcement agencies across the state. Three-quarters (75% or 12,677) of the domestic violence victims were female.

· The NM Interpersonal Violence Data Central Repository stated, in 2002, an estimated over $19.3 million in medical care, mental health care and lost productivity costs was a result of domestic violence. Mental health care costs and lost productivity costs associated with paid work and household chores on 12,677 female victims was estimated at $5,093.601, using 1995 unit costs.

There were 16,569 new clients served by 29 domestic violence service providers across the state; 47% (7,810) were adult victims, 33% (5,418) children, and 20% (3,341) offenders. In New Mexico, 77% of suspects/offenders identified by law enforcement and 89% of offenders identified by domestic violence service providers are male. Currently, 70% of offenders receiving prevention or therapeutic services/treatment are referred from adult courts and 6% by law enforcement. Perhaps greater outcomes in domestic violence prevention may be realized through greater availability of offender prevention and therapeutic program.

· The New Mexico Interpersonal Violence Data Central Repository is funded by DOH and is a database that captures statewide domestic violence incidents reported by domestic violence shelters, programs, courts and law enforcement. The repository could be used by CYFD to monitor identified performance measures.

· New Mexico has a large population living at or below the federal poverty level. The stresses of poverty feed domestic violence tendencies.

· Nationally, battered mothers indicated 87% of their children witnessed the abuse. The report in New Mexico stated 3,381 children were present at the scene of the domestic violence cases reported by law enforcement, and almost three-quarters (71%) of children who witnessed domestic violence incidents were not yet adolescents (12 years and under). Children learn by example. Children whose parents abuse each other are more likely to eventually become victims and/or perpetrators of abuse. Childhood exposure to domestic violence is associated with difficulties with behavior, emotional health, schoolwork and delinquency. Effects on such childhood exposures last into adulthood and include alcoholism, drug abuse, mental health problems, smoking and general poor health. Interrupting this cycle is imperative, yet most domestic violence programs and shelters are unable to provide services to children who witness violence and have minimal services available to batterers. Shelters need additional resources to both maintain and expand services, as well as begin to develop primary prevention programs to curb the cycle of violence in families and communities.

· Incidents of domestic violence often go unreported to law enforcement due to failure of family, friends or neighbors to report. As many as 43% (4,132) of the adult victims who sought services from domestic violence service providers claimed they did not report their incident to law enforcement. This is similar to the 50% of adult victims who report their crime to law enforcement nationally.

· Services provided by domestic violence programs include emergency shelter, food, clothing, crisis call response, counseling, treatment, orders of protection and support groups.

· SB 157 is aligned with the Department of Health (DOH) Strategic Plan:

Program Area 3: Surveillance, Response and Reporting, Goal A: Assure statewide availability of the essential public health functions that include epidemiological assessment; vital records registration; analysis and reporting of population health status and public health conditions; and timely response to emergencies and threats to public health. Objective 2: Conduct population-based surveillance to monitor health status including collection of new data and use of existing databases to provide information for policy and decisions regarding programs and allocation of resources. Strategy 2.7: Support the production and use of the New Mexico Interpersonal Violence Data Central Repository.

Program Area 3, Goal C: Assure safe environments for New Mexico communities and families through a statewide injury prevention program. Objective 1: Reduce individual and interpersonal violence in New Mexico in families, communities and the workplace.

According to the Children, Youth and Families Department:

· In FY04, CYFD funded domestic violence services benefiting approximately 14,000 victims and their families.

· This appropriation is not part of the CYFD request and is not included in the Executive recommendation.

POSSIBLE QUESTIONS

1. How much funding is directed to domestic violence comprehensively among the applicable departments? How much of this is state revenue, and how much is federal?

2. What kind of programming and treatment is currently being offered by the different departments?

3. Has there been an assessment of how effectively the state is reaching those in need of the services?

SJM/lg:njw