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Rep. Nina Milliken, D-Blue Hill, is serving in her second term in the Maine House of Representatives. She sits on the Criminal Justice and Public Safety Committee.
As Gov. Janet Mills campaigns for the U.S. Senate, she has begun to present herself as a champion for victims of gendered violence. But here in Maine, the reality under her administration tells a different story.
The Maine Coalition to End Domestic Violence (MCEDV) — the backbone of domestic violence services in our state — has lost roughly 27% of its workforce in the last five years due to rising costs and flat funding. That means fewer advocates answering crisis calls, fewer people helping survivors navigate a complicated legal system, and fewer resources available in moments of extreme danger.
This year, the coalition asked for $4 million in ongoing funding to stabilize these services. Instead, they received just $2 million in one-time funding — money that cannot sustain staff or rebuild capacity. Providers are now considering adding a phrase like “as resources allow” to descriptions of their services.
This insulting and troubling figure also comes after years of the Maine Department of Health and Human Services paying their bills late, leading to many victims’ services centers needing to take out lines of credit to pay their bills. Maine’s domestic violence service providers have had to pay thousands of dollars in interest for loans they should never have had to take out.
That should alarm every Mainer. Survivors are being told, in effect, that help may or may not be there when they need it most.
The administration points to additional funding tied to federal Victims of Crime Act dollars. But that money is not an increase, critical backfill though it is.
Meanwhile, sexual assault advocates across the state continue to struggle without the pay increases they have clearly demonstrated are necessary for years just so they can retain staff and meet their own, separate demands. This is an issue that I have spoken up about many times, and one that I am furious hasn’t made any headway.
This is not a new problem. Over the past several years, providers have repeatedly shown the administration detailed data: rising costs, increasing demand, and a shrinking workforce. The Maine Department of Health and Human Services has seen that flat funding has led directly to cuts in staffing and services. And yet, meaningful, sustained investment has not followed.
These are not optional programs. Domestic violence and sexual assault services are essential to public safety. They support law enforcement, enable court processes, and provide life-saving assistance to many thousands of Mainers every year.
If Gov. Mills wants to campaign as a defender of victims, her record of budget priorities should reflect that commitment. To me, it does not.
Maine’s survivors deserve more than rhetoric. They deserve a government that will fully fund the services they rely on.
