Alberta cuts funding mid-year to program for Indigenous mothers who have faced domestic violence

By Jeremy Appel

(ANNews) – The provincial government has cut funding for an Aboriginal Counseling Services of Alberta (ACSA) program that provides support for Indigenous mothers who have faced domestic violence, forcing ACSA to seek to make up the cost in private donations by the end of the year. 

While the Circle of Safety program helps men, women and children aged 6 to 16 who have experienced violence at home, the Ministry of Children and Family Services informed ACSA in September that it would be discontinuing $135,000 in funding for the women’s program. 

ACSA executive director Keleigh Larson described the Circle of Safety as “almost like a treatment program for clients that are involved with domestic violence.”

The timing couldn’t have been worse, coming mid-fiscal year, since programming was already underway for the year, she said, adding that the UCP government didn’t provide “much of an explanation at all” for its decision. 

“Instead of just closing our doors in September,” she said, “we really tried to shuffle things, and make it work. Even though it wasn’t funded, I couldn’t turn away the families.” 

Meanwhile, Children’s Services and other partners continue referring families to the Circle of Safety, which has produced a “huge wait list,” according to Larson. 

“There’s a lot of families that were hoping to join the next session, but they won’t be able to until we look for more funding,” she said. 

The 16-week program invites single mothers and their children to Transition Place in downtown Edmonton every Thursday, providing them with a meal, counselling support and a group healing circle facilitated by an Indigenous Elder. 

The children’s Circle of Safety program, which is funded by the City of Edmonton, isn’t presently at risk of getting cut. 

Larson said it’s important for the children’s and adult programs to work in tandem. “They’re getting parallel teachings just to understand the experience, and to also overcome trauma and the family violence situation,” explained Larson. 

According to ACSA, the program’s costs per family consists of $7,000 for family counselling sessions, $700 a month for dinner, $250 for the healing circle and $50 to provide the space. 

The provincial government encouraged ACSA to submit a proposal for a separate family violence prevention grant, but ACSA’s application wasn’t successful. 

While they continue seeking different grant opportunities, private donations or partnerships would provide more immediate relief. 

“Right now we’re out there looking for new funders and new relationships, and hopefully we can continue that good work that we do,” Larson added.

Alberta Native News reached out to the Ministry of Children and Family Services to ask why the government decided to discontinue funding for the Circle of Safety. The ministry didn’t acknowledge the inquiry. 

A spokesperson for Children and Family Services told Global News that the government has “refreshed funding for family violence prevention programs” and couldn’t approve funding for all 200 applications it received. 

ACSA is accepting both monetary and in-kind donations that can be used in the program, such as gift cards or food. 

Those seeking to donate money can do so at https://www.canadahelps.org/en/dn/136142. 

Jeremy Appel is a Local Journalism Initiative Reporter.