Victim services workers gathered Friday in Lancaster to urge support for Gov. Josh Shapiro’s budget proposal to invest $9 million in Pennsylvania’s Victims Compensation Assistance Program.

The program, administered by the state Commission on Crime and Delinquency, disburses about $14 million annually to help crime victims, according to Kathy Buckley, director of the commission’s Office of Victims’ Services.

The program covers some of the costs crime victims and their families have to bear, including counseling, lost wages, funeral costs, crime scene cleanup, medical expenses and transportation.

“No crime victim should have to worry about how they’ll afford medical bills. No family should have to struggle with funeral expenses for a loved one lost to violence. No sexual assault survivors should have to worry about covering the cost of counseling to overcome their trauma,” Buckley said.

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Over the past five years, Buckley said, the program has paid more than $67 million covering more than 67,000 claims in every Pennsylvania county.

The program’s main revenue source is from fines and fees, including a $60 fee a person convicted of a crime pays to the state. The program also gets grant funding from the federal Crime Victims Fund, which also is funded by fines and penalties assessed after a conviction.

Buckley spoke during a news conference Friday at the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office. She was joined by people who work with crime victims in Lancaster County, all of whom spoke about how vital the program is.

“I can tell you today, if we did not have the resource of the Victims Compensation Assistance Program, our work as advocates would be hindered, but more importantly, victims would be left without this critical financial assistance as they begin the work of healing,” said Deanna Weaver, director of the county’s victim and witness services program.

Mary Halye, manager of Lancaster County Children’s Alliance, said her agency saw 818 children last year, providing services such as forensic interviews, medical exams and mental health services.

“And families do not incur any costs, including co-pays, co-insurances or deductibles. This is where victims compensation plays a big role in helping our program make sure that each and every person who needs our services receives them,” Halye said.

Mandy Billman, director of the YWCA’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Counseling Center, shared a real-life example of how the fund helped a college student who was sexually assaulted and didn’t feel comfortable telling her parents.

“This is a common scenario for many of our clients. … In this client’s case, the Victims Compensation Assistance Program was able to cover the hospital bill, which included the cost of the exam and crucial follow-up medical care to meet the client’s needs,” Billman said.

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