Non-Violence

Neighborhood Crime & Non-Violence Programs
Social Service Funding

As a domestic violence counselor and a therapist, I am committed to working to fully fund programs under the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA) and the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) that the Federal government and the state legislature have hit with significant and dangerous cuts.

I will work to develop funding for non-violence initiatives that are supported by research and can demonstrate concrete results. Any effective non-violence campaign will require a comprehensive approach that involves: social services, schools, policing, and community leaders.

We need to invest in low-cost and free universal preschool, daycare, and early education programs. As a mental health therapist, I believe we are placing our teachers at a disadvantage by not helping families focus on the healthy development of children. If we want children to perform well in school and develop healthy peer groups, then we need to provide support to families with children between birth and 3 years old.

Children who experience inconsistent care during this critical period of neurological, emotional, and social development will be at a significant disadvantage in our schools and will cost more to educate over the long-term.

Similarly, we need to invest in trauma-informed teaching and policing models that involve increased mental health and social work involvement as well as integration of non-violence program curricula into our elementary school system.