The House Committee on Public Safety advanced a bill that would help fund more services for victims of sexual assault.
The proposal (HF 705) would set up a grant program to put state dollars toward the SAFE Center of Iowa in Polk County. The center would offer medical and mental health services and have confidential spaces for sexual assault victims to meet with victim advocates, prosecutors and law enforcement.
Shannon Knudsen, founder and executive director of the SAFE Center of Iowa, said having the services available in one place will reduce barriers for victims.
“Right now, asking them to navigate the landscape on their own, to figure out what's next or the support that they need is just — it's not best practice,” Knudsen said. “Looking nationally, there are a lot of programs that are moving to these models.”
The center would need $1.5 million in one-time funds and up to $1 million each year in ongoing funding, according to representatives with the SAFE Center. They said the services they offer can’t be billed to victims’ insurance companies, so funding has to come from the state and other sources.