Child advocacy centers across Michigan are confronting reduced federal funding, and the Ionia-Montcalm Secure and Friendly Environment Child Advocacy Center (IM SAFE CAC) is feeling the impact. The center announced a 12% budget cut for this year, trimming $76,219 from its operating funds.

Potential impact on services

“You hate to think of children sitting there waiting to get mental health services because we just don’t have the staffing for it due to funding,” said Lori Kirkhoff, executive director of IM SAFE CAC. With roughly 80% of the center’s budget devoted to employee salaries, any reduction directly threatens staff positions and the programs they deliver.

“81% of our budget is salaries; those are people, so when we reduce that kind of money we’re talking about losing a position,” Kirkhoff explained. The center handles about 250 cases each year, and losing even one employee could mean the loss of an entire program or service, including mental‑health therapy for children.

Steps being taken

The center has already shortened its Friday hours and is actively working with state lawmakers to identify additional funding sources. It is also launching a community‑wide fundraising campaign, and Kirkhoff reported that the response so far has been encouraging.

“Any donations we receive right now would help fill that gap and keep our employees,” she said. While no positions have been eliminated yet, maintaining current resources remains critical for the children and families the center serves.

How to help

Community members who wish to support IM SAFE CAC can contribute through the donation link provided by the center. Continued local generosity will help ensure that vital counseling, forensic examinations, and other services remain available to survivors of crime throughout the Ionia‑Montcalm area.

Original reporting: FOX 17 WXMI Grand Rapids (local) — read the source article.