Florida Attorney General James Uthmeier has made protecting children a central priority. His statewide initiative “Operation Home for the Holidays” rescued 122 children from abuse and trafficking last November alone.
But rescue is only the beginning. These children depend on a network of victim services that helps them heal and holds abusers accountable in court. And unless Congress acts soon, a growing funding shortfall could sever many victims’ access to these lifelines.
To prevent that from happening, lawmakers must pass the bipartisan Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act. The measure would provide the funding that victim services need to keep their doors open. And it would do so without costing taxpayers a dime.
Holding child predators accountable is one of the most difficult challenges facing law enforcement and prosecutors in Florida. Each year, at least 532,000 American children are sexually or physically abused — and nearly 20,000 of those victims are in Florida. But gathering evidence often risks further traumatizing young victims.
Young victims may struggle to explain what happened or be afraid to speak out. Effectively interviewing them is a delicate task that requires specialized training and experience to ask the right questions, avoid retraumatization, and ensure their accounts can be used in court. It’s best practice for neutral forensic interviewers to conduct these interviews.
That’s why many cases begin at one of the state’s 26 Children’s Advocacy Centers — safe and child-friendly places where multidisciplinary teams of professionals support joint investigations by law enforcement and the Department of Children and Families, conduct forensic interviews, collect evidence, and coordinate with prosecutors, all while providing the medical care, counseling and victim advocacy resources that children and families need to rebuild their lives.
Over 30,000 Florida children get help at these care centers each year. They’re especially important as law enforcement agencies face staffing shortages. Roughly 30% of Florida sheriff’s offices can’t meet their staffing needs, leaving fewer resources for complex investigations like child abuse cases. The evidence gathered by professionals at Children’s Advocacy Centers often becomes the backbone of cases against offenders.
But these centers face an existential threat. Much of their funding comes from the Crime Victims Fund, which collects fines and penalties from individuals and companies convicted of federal crimes. That fund is rapidly depleting. At the end of 2024, it held just over $2 billion — down from more than $13 billion in 2017.
The shrinking fund is forcing Congress to cut support for the services that Florida’s children — and other victims of crime — rely on.
Children’s Advocacy Centers in Florida are already stretched thin. Victim advocates statewide are carrying caseloads twice the national average, while families in some communities wait weeks for trauma-focused care. Fifteen Florida counties, including Pinellas (St. Petersburg), Leon (Tallahassee), and Palm Beach, still lack a Children’s Advocacy Center. While services like forensic interviews and medical evaluations may be available, families must navigate them without the coordinated, child-centered approach these centers provide.
This fragmentation places a greater burden on children and caregivers, and can hinder engagement with healing services and the judicial process.
Funding cuts doubled last year, creating a nearly $5 million shortfall for Florida’s Children’s Advocacy Centers. But the worst is yet to come. We’re heading for a Category 5 crisis as these cuts compound that will hit not just Children’s Advocacy Centers, but also state attorneys’ offices, law enforcement agencies, domestic violence shelters, and human trafficking programs.
If funding continues to decline, providers across the state could be forced to scale back services, delay care, or turn away families who desperately need help. Some could shut down entirely.
Mental health providers and victim advocates are often the first to go when there are budget cuts — with potential lifelong impacts for kids. Victim advocates guide families from the outset of an investigation through its conclusion, helping them stay engaged with the justice system while accessing care. The evidence-based mental health treatments provided at Children’s Advocacy Centers, meanwhile, dramatically reduce PTSD symptoms after abuse — lowering risks of substance abuse, self-harm, and serious medical or academic challenges later in life.
The Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act would help replenish victim services funding by using a portion of the money the federal government recovers from individuals and companies that defraud federal programs.
Those recoveries often total billions of dollars each year — more than enough to both repay the federal government and stabilize support for victim services without raising taxes or increasing spending.
The bill has broad bipartisan support. Earlier this year, the House of Representatives passed ity unanimously, with 75% of Florida’s representatives co-sponsoring the bill. Now the Senate must finish the job.
Florida’s senators have an opportunity to ensure that children who have endured unimaginable abuse receive the care they need — and that those who harm them are held accountable. I urge senators Rick Scott and Ashley Moody to co-sponsor the Crime Victims Fund Stabilization Act and help deliver the support Florida’s children and communities depend on.
Luzed Cruz is the executive director of the Florida Network of Children’s Advocacy Centers.
