During Domestic Violence Awareness Month, NY Programs Sound the Alarm on Crisis Threatening Survivor Services

Funding cuts and delayed grants are forcing domestic violence programs to scale back essential services and cut staff, leaving some domestic violence survivors with nowhere to turn.

ZOOM (10/21/2026) (readMedia)-- On Thursday, New York's domestic violence programs (DV programs) will sound the alarm on the state of crisis they're in after receiving devastating cuts to a primary source of federal funding administered by the state Office of Victims Services (OVS) this summer-a total loss of $19 million, according to survey data from the New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence. Without action, thousands of survivors will lose access to the critical support these programs provide.

Some well-established programs serving their communities for years received less than half of what they'd applied for and anticipated. These cuts are compounding a $29 million loss from the previous grant cycle. As a result, chronically underfunded programs are being forced to cut staff, including those who provide specialized senior, immigration, and disability services; close offices, leaving huge DV service deserts that affect whole regions; and scale back services to survivors and reduce the number of New Yorkers served.

While Governor Hochul restored $11.7 million to DV programs in August to help close the funding gap, thanks to tireless advocacy of victims services providers, DV programs are still underwater and have yet to receive their executed contracts and grant awards-even though the new contract period started October 1. It could take months for the State to complete this process, with some programs having waited up to a year in previous grant cycles to receive what they were owed. OVS has not yet provided an explanation about how they determined what each program would receive-neither in their first round of awards in July nor for the August awards.

Speakers at Thursday's press conference will call on the Hochul administration to fill funding gaps, distribute overdue grants, and overhaul the State's process for awarding and disbursing program-sustaining dollars, including getting rid of the competitive bidding process for licensed and approved DV programs.

WHO:

Connie Neal, Executive Director, New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence

Assemblymember Amy Paulin

Senator Lea Webb

Jennifer Hernandez, Executive Director, ECLI-VIBES serving Suffolk County

Silvia Lederman, Esq., Managing Director, Karen Cheeks-Lomax Center for Legal Services at My Sisters' Place serving Westchester County

Tiffany Pavone, Director of Victim Services, Child and Family Services serving Erie County

Barbara Pierce-Morrow, President & CEO, Family Counseling Service of the Finger Lakes serving Ontario, Wayne, Monroe, Seneca, and Yates Counties

Kellyann Kostyal-Larrier, Executive Director, Fearless! Hudson Valley, serving Orange and Sullivan Counties

Amy Quonce, Executive Director, Victim Assistance Center of Jefferson County

Christine Battisti, Chief Executive Officer, Crimes Victims Assistance Center (CVAC) in Broome County
WHAT:

 A virtual press conference calling on the State to restore devastating cuts to DV programs and overhaul the grant process.
WHEN: Thursday October 22, 2026 at 12:00PM Eastern Time (US & Canada)
WHERE: Zoom
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89827160102?pwd=5j7eqXOTEtH7DmzL3UbHR1voCUaXYv.1
New York
NOTES:

Please specify your full name and affiliation in your zoom name. A recording of the press conference will be available in our press release and upon request.