For More Information Contact:
Chairman A. Gregg Pulver (845) 486-2103
Poughkeepsie, NY – The intensive and expansive budget review process continued Wednesday evening, November 28th, as the Budget, Finance and Personnel Committee members made amendments to the Dutchess County’s 2019 budget.
Legislator Will Truitt authored an amendment that would provide funding to senior centers so that they may open their doors five-days a week. The $47,500 added to the budget would support increased hours for site managers and drivers as well as covering meal costs and other expenses. Legislator Truitt said, “Maintaining an active lifestyle is a critical component of a senior’s mental and physical health. I am proud to have identified and proposed funding for this vital service expansion. This relatively small cost to the County provides an enormous service to seniors. I’m excited to visit a center that is able to open an additional day of the week through this funding.”
Within the last month, Family Services was awarded a $75,000 grant to implement Intimate Partner Violence Intervention (IPVI)— a program that Ulster County recently received funding for and launched. IPVI is an offender-focused program which concentrates on removing the burden of behavior change from victims and placing it on offenders. It will work in conjunction with the existing DART and the Lethality Assessment Program (LAP) in a comprehensive manner. Post-implementation in High Point, North Carolina, domestic violence related police calls with reported injuries dropped by 20% and homicides dropped dramatically.
Assistant Majority Leader Donna Bolner authored an amendment to provide $85,000 in complemental funding to Family Services as an informal local match but a formal show of good faith in the program. Legislator Bolner said, “this helps to identify people who need behavioral support. There is a lot of focus on support for victims but not enough on prevention. This is a program that identifies possible and actual offenders and will change behaviors in the hopes of reducing domestic violence. We are hitting the ground running and will hopefully see results County-wide very shortly.”
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