Center aiding victims of violence loses funds

[Judi Lynn]

SAN FRANCISCO
Center aiding victims of violence loses funds
Despite its success, program is facing closure in October
Kevin Fagan, Chronicle Staff Writer

Monday, August 15, 2005

A nationally honored pilot program that treats San Francisco victims of violent crime for psychological trauma has lost its funding, even though there seems no doubt -- even among those who have stopped giving it money -- that it is a solid success.

Assemblyman Mark Leno, D-San Francisco, is pushing a bill to revive funding for the San Francisco Trauma Recovery Center for another year. However, the center's $1.3 million annual grant from the state's Victim Compensation Fund ran out on July 1 -- and unless new money comes in, the operation will have to shut its doors in October.

That would close the book on a first-of-its-kind experiment that already has broken important new ground in the practice and study of helping people who were viciously beaten, shot, stabbed or raped or whose relatives were violently attacked.

The center treats most victims of significant violent crime brought to San Francisco General Hospital, and since it opened in July 2001, its doctors and counselors say they have built an impressive record of helping people recover by more effectively seeking financial compensation, returning to work after being attacked and seeking therapy.
(snip/...)

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2005/08/15/BAGDHE7T5F1.DTL

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So how does this square with the party which has prodded its members to claim it upholds the interests of the victems more than the Democrats?

[FlemingsGhost]

1. Have faith. Jesus will drop by to help out.

I hear he's a wiz on the computer.

[Syncronaut Seven]

2. The best hope of avoiding, or at least mitigating PTSD is early

intervention, they are literally saving peoples lives.

[Rich Hunt]

3. oh well...

I'm sure that the people who support cutting it have a vested interest in doing so....