FY 2016 Appropriation

The Division of Child and Family Services also provides services which aid victims and perpetrators of domestic violence.

Funding History

Funding Issues

Domestic Violence Shelters

This item was funded $300,000 ongoing and $393,500 one-time in the 2014 General Session. This funding provides $400,000 for Domestic Violence shelters ongoing. The funding will be divided up equally between all 13 non-profit domestic violence shelters in FY 2016. DCFS plans to implement a new funding formula in state FY 2017 and beyond. The funding is intended to provide basic life-saving and protection services of: safe shelter, case management, therapy, and children's services.
Appropriation Overview

During the 2015 General Session, the Legislature appropriated for Fiscal Year 2016, $6,867,900 from all sources for Domestic Violence. This is an 11.9 percent increase from Fiscal Year 2015 revised estimated amounts from all sources. The total includes $2,720,300 from the General/Education Funds, an increase of 35.3 percent from revised Fiscal Year 2015 estimates.

Appropriation Adjustments

The following appropriation adjustments were made during the 2015 General Session:

DescriptionOngoingOne-Time Domestic Violence Shelters$400,000$0
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$400,000$0General Fund
$0$0General Fund, One-time
This item was funded $300,000 ongoing and $393,500 one-time in the 2014 General Session. This funding provides $400,000 for Domestic Violence shelters ongoing. The funding will be divided up equally between all 13 non-profit domestic violence shelters in FY 2016. DCFS plans to implement a new funding formula in state FY 2017 and beyond. The funding is intended to provide basic life-saving and protection services of: safe shelter, case management, therapy, and children's services.
DV Shelters - Lethality Assessment$0$693,500
OngoingOne-TimeFinancing Source
$0$693,500General Fund, One-time
The Lethality Assessment Project (LAP) was developed in Maryland and "has proven to save lives. From 2006 to 2010, Maryland reduced domestic violence homicides by 30%." The LAP will increase the demand for shelter and services by directing high-risk domestic violence victims to the Domestic Violence Nonprofits across the state. These funds will assist in partnering with local law enforcement and accommodate the increase in clients. Based on research by Dr. Jacquelyn Campbell of The Johns Hopkins University School of Nursing, the LAP is designed to prevent domestic violence homicides, serious injury, and re-assault through partnering with law enforcement and encouraging more victims to utilize the support and shelter services of domestic violence programs. The LAP features a research based lethality screening tool and an accompanying protocol referral that provides direction for law enforcement, and domestic violence nonprofits personal to initiate appropriate action based on the results of the screening process. Some statistics relevant to this pilot project include: Only 4% of domestic violence murder victims ever participated in domestic violence service programs. In 50% of domestic violence related homicides, officers had previously responded to the scene. Re-assault of domestic violence victims in high danger was reduced by 60% if they went into shelter.
Staff Analysis

Issue Brief - 2014 General Session - Domestic Violence Services

For the most recent completed fiscal year, the following information represents the purposes for which the money was used:

DCFS Domestic Violence Detailed Purposes

With regard to the Domestic Violence program, "The money is split up between the five regions. The regions fund services that cover every county in the State." With regard to the methodology used to distrube the funds, the division states that it is done, "based on existing contracts and expenditure history in the region." The divisions believes that "over time this method takes into account shifts in need by region not by population."

Number of persons sheltered

Percent supported victims that do not experience repeated abuse within 6 months

Regarding the negative trend greater than 5% in the number of persons sheltered from the DCFS Domestic Violence program performance measures, the agency states, "This downtrend in the amount of emergency shelter provided by the contracted victim service organizations is likely related to the priortization of service to survivors determined to be at the highest risk of lethality, and the expansion of case management and supportive services. Historically, all survivors were required to 'check in' to emergency shelter. While emergency shelter can be essential to ensure safety for high risk survivors, it can also cause disruption to natural supports and protective factors. A low risk survivor required to enter emergency shelter to obtain housing support and legal assistance could risk job loss and be forced to change her children's school to comply with the agency's safety policies. Our contracted providers, in partnership with DCFS, are working hard to assess risk and need, and match the appropriate service to the client, ensuring emergency shelter is no longer the catch all service but is prioritized and available to those with the greatest need."

This program includes:

  • Domestic Violence Case Workers: provide other DCFS workers with information about domestic violence as it relates to child abuse, assist in risk determination, and provide resources and referrals to assist DCFS workers in keeping adult and child victims safe.
  • Domestic Violence Outpatient Services: provides treatment to court-ordered and voluntary domestic violence perpetrators, victims of domestic violence, and child witnesses of domestic violence. This program is funded in part from the Victims of Domestic Violence Services Account (UCA 51-9-406), which revenues come from surcharges on criminal fines, penalties, and forfeitures imposed by the courts.
  • Family Violence Shelters provide abused adults and their children with a safe short-term refuge. While there, shelter staff members help victims assess their situation and evaluate available options to end the abuse. An opportunity is also given to participate in groups with other battered individuals and to deal with issues of self-esteem and self-sufficiency. There are 15 domestic violence shelters operating in nearly half of the state's 29 counties, two of which DCFS operates in rural communities. Available services vary from shelter to shelter. Some of the services provided include a 24-hour crisis hot line, a 24-hour mobile crisis team, adult and child support groups, rape crisis intervention, education and training, assistance with protective orders, court advocacy, household goods assistance, bilingual services, transportation, child care, and information and referral. DCFS contracts for services with shelters such as the YWCA program in Salt Lake City.

Intent Language

HB0003: Item 92

Under Section 63J-1-603 of the Utah Code, the Legislature intends that any remaining funds provided for the Division of Child and Family Services, in Item 41, Chapter 13, Laws of Utah 2014 not lapse at the close of FY 2015. The Legislature further intends that these non-lapsing funds are to be used for Adoption Assistance, Out of Home Care, Service Delivery, In-Home Services, Special Needs, and SAFE Management Information System modernization consistent with the requirements found at UCA 63J-1-603(3)(b).

SB0002: Item 85

The Legislature intends the Department of Human Services' Division of Child and Family Services use nonlapsing state funds originally appropriated for Adoption Assistance non-IV-E monthly subsidies for any children that were not initially Title IV-E eligible in foster care, but that now qualify for Title IV-E adoption assistance monthly subsidies under eligibility exception criteria specified in P.L. 112-34 [Social Security Act Section 473(e)]. These funds shall only be used for child welfare services allowable under Title IV-B or Title IV-E of the Social Security Act consistent with the requirements found at UCA 63J-1-603(3)(b).

SB0002: Item 85

The Legislature intends to reinvest non-lapsing state funds originally appropriated for Out of Home Care to enhance Service Delivery or In-Home Services consistent with the requirements found at UCA 63J-1-603(3)(b). The purpose of this reinvestment of funds is to increase capacity to keep children safely at home and reduce the need for foster care, in accordance with Utah's Child Welfare Demonstration Project authorized under Section 1130 of the Social Security Act (Act) (42 U.S.C. 1320a-9), which grants a waiver for certain foster care funding requirements under Title IV-E of the Act. These funds shall only be used for child welfare services allowable under Title IV-B or Title IV-E of the Act.

SB0007S01: Item 30

The Legislature intends that the Department of Human Services report on the following performance measures for the Child and Family Services line item: (1) Administrative Performance: Percent satisfactory outcomes on qualitative case reviews/system performance (Target = 85%/85%), (2) Child Protective Services:  Absence of maltreatment recurrence within 6 months (Target = 94.6%), and (3) Out of home services: Percent of children reunified within 12 months (Target = 74.2%) by January 1, 2016 to the Social Services Appropriations Subcommittee.

Victims of Domestic Violence Services Account

All courts levy a surcharge on fines. Of the amount collected by these surcharges, 4.5 percent is allocated to the Victims of Domestic Violence Services Account (UCA 51-9-406). A portion of the collections (0.5 percent) goes to the Office of the Attorney General for training. The remaining four percent goes to DCFS for services to victims of domestic violence.

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COBI contains unaudited data as presented to the Legislature by state agencies at the time of publication. For audited financial data see the State of Utah's Comprehensive Annual Financial Reports.