JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – Domestic violence shelters and services across Missouri could notice a significant reduction in funding under a budget proposal unveiled by Governor Mike Kehoe in January. The proposed cuts, totaling $1 million to the state’s Domestic Violence Shelters and Services (DVSS) funding, are raising concerns among advocates who say services are already stretched thin.
If approved by state lawmakers, the funding reduction would lower DVSS support from $9.6 million to $8.6 million, representing a roughly 10% decrease for many organizations. This comes at a time when demand for services is increasing, and existing resources are struggling to meet the needs of survivors.
Jessica Hill, chief public affairs officer for the Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence, warned that the cuts would exacerbate existing challenges. “We’re already not meeting necessitate. We’re already seeing shelters full and people having to be turned away and so we’re just exacerbating that situation with these funding cuts,” Hill said. “It really is substantial. It would represent a 10% cut to most service’s budgets and that’s just something that they can’t sustain.”
The Missouri Coalition Against Domestic and Sexual Violence (MoCADSV) is a statewide network of over 60 domestic violence service providers. Jefferson City’s Rape and Abuse Crisis Service (RACS), a member of the coalition, relies on DVSS funds for approximately 18% of its payroll. Tyler Rieke, Executive Director of RACS, explained the impact of the potential cuts. “A lot of our direct, frontline staff are funded by DVSS funds,” Rieke said. “DVSS funding also contributes to some operation funding, such as utility costs.” RACS provides free services including a 24-hour shelter, court advocacy, counseling, and programs for children.
Impact on Frontline Services
RACS assisted over a thousand Missourians last year, and Rieke emphasized that the need for services continues to grow even as funding dwindles. “The number of hotline calls to our shelters is going up and the number of requests for shelter and other service is going up each year while the funding continues to decline,” Hill said. Organizations like RACS are bracing for difficult decisions if the cuts are implemented. “All of us are reliant on this funding to meet payroll, have safe beds, have warm meals when people come to us,” Rieke said. “Cuts are scary and we have to respond to them. How we might do so, I don’t realize yet. But the last thing that we seek to do is affect the services that survivors need in our community.”
The proposed state cuts are compounded by previous reductions in federal funding. Hill noted that grant funding has decreased by $15 million in recent years. “That’s something that we’ve looked to the Missouri general assembly to help bridge the gap on. This year they did not include that supplementary finding either,” she said. “The million dollars in DVSS cuts combined with the $15 million funding gap in VOCA has our services really concerned.” VOCA refers to the Victims of Crime Act, a federal program that provides funding to support victim services.
Governor Kehoe’s Budget Priorities
Governor Mike Kehoe, who assumed office in January 2025, has prioritized fiscal conservatism in his budget proposals. According to his official website, Kehoe signed the Fiscal Year 2026 (FY26) state operating and capital improvement budget bills in June 2025, including 208 vetoes totaling nearly $300 million in general revenue. The Governor’s office stated that the action was taken to “rein in unsustainable spending.”
The Governor’s office has not yet commented specifically on the concerns raised by domestic violence advocates regarding the DVSS cuts. The Missouri Department of Social Services stated This proves “continuing to monitor the budget process” and declined to provide further comment.
What’s Next for DVSS Funding?
The fate of DVSS funding now rests with the Missouri General Assembly. Advocates are urging lawmakers to restore the $1 million cut and address the ongoing funding gap created by federal reductions. The legislative session is underway, and the budget will be subject to debate and potential amendments. The outcome will determine the level of support available to domestic violence service providers across the state and their ability to serve survivors in need.
This represents a developing story. Share your thoughts in the comments below.
