Metropolitan King County Council Chair Larry Phillips praised the County’s 2006 budget, passed unanimously by the Council this week, for its commitment to the safety, health and privacy of women.

“The level of support in this budget for programs to help women in need of shelter, sexual assault resources, protection from domestic violence, health advice or childcare is unprecedented,” said Phillips. “But it’s a precedent I’m committed to continuing.”

King County’s 2006 budget includes $4.1 million to remodel the vacant Cedar Hills Addiction Treatment Facility for use as a transitional housing program for women leaving correctional facilities and reuniting with their children. The facility will add much needed shelter for otherwise homeless women in King County.

Additionally, King County Sexual Assault Resource Center will receive over $456,000 in 2006. Other women’s human services agencies that will receive funding from King County next year are: Abused Deaf Women’s Advocacy Services, Advocates for Abused and Battered Lesbians, Asian Pacific Islander Women & Family Safety Shelter, Communities Against Rape and Abuse, Domestic Abuse Women’s Network (DAWN), Eastside Domestic Violence Program, Island Domestic Violence Services, King County Coalition Against Domestic Violence, New Beginnings, Refugee Women’s Alliance, Washington Women in Transition, Women’s Program and YWCA.

“It’s important that women suffering from homelessness, abuse and domestic violence know they have somewhere to turn,” said Phillips. “These community-based organizations can support women in need on an individual basis, helping them turn their lives around for themselves and for their families.”

King County’s total commitment to domestic violence programs in 2006 is over $800,000. Additionally, King County continued its commitment to keeping Teen Health Clinics in Highline and Renton open and serving young people. These clinics were slated for deep cuts in the 2003 budget, but the County Council restored funding in response to community support for the clinics. King County will also continue contracting with the city of Seattle to operate teen clinics in Seattle.

As the county prepares to start construction on a new King County office building, Phillips worked to ensure that the floor plan included space for a daycare facility for children.

“The daycare facility will be a tremendous asset both for the King County-employed mothers and fathers who must balance work and family life, and for citizens bringing their children as they come downtown to our government buildings for court proceedings or administrative services,” said Phillips. “This will be the first county-owned office building to include daycare space, but in today’s busy world, cutting down travel time to the baby-sitter will give working parents and courthouse visitors the precious commodity of more time with their children.”