The program helps people like Thelma Cole by reimbursing them for lost wages and medical bills. Cole was a victim of domestic violence who did get a check from the state, but because of the backlog, it took six months and she still fell behind in her bills.
"Life has to go on and creditors don't care that this is what happened to you. It was tough to wait, but I'm glad it was there for me," she said.
There is currently no money in the state budget for the fund that currently has a backlog of more than $4 million in unpaid claims.
The program does get money from the state's general fund and the federal government, but without additional support from the state, victims may have to wait one to two years before getting any kind of compensation.
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