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Butterfly Bridge director details services, asks county leaders to consider funding
Summary
The director of Butterfly Bridge described forensic interview and trauma services for child abuse victims in Chilton County, shared caseload and cost figures, and invited commissioners to tour the center and consider a budget request.
Jenna Zawelski, director of Butterfly Bridge, told the Chilton County Commission that the child advocacy center provides forensic interviews and trauma-focused services to children and families at no cost to recipients and asked commissioners to consider continued local support.
Zawelski said local government funding makes up about 4.5% of Butterfly Bridge’s overall budget for its offices that serve Chilton County, Elmore and Autauga, and that the center is nationally accredited. "Local government funding makes up about 4.5% of our overall budget here in Chilton County," she said. She told the commission the center provided forensic interviews for 125 new cases last year and that multidisciplinary collaboration with law enforcement, DHR and prosecutors both improves outcomes for children and saves money for the county.
The director gave commissioners a breakdown of case types and program numbers and emphasized the center’s role in coordinating criminal‑justice and healing services. She said 72% of referrals were for sexual abuse allegations, 13% for physical abuse, 5% for crimes involving images or technology, and 10% for children who witnessed violence. Zawelski estimated the average comprehensive cost of services at about $2,500 per child but presented a recent, longer case she said cost the center about $6,000 per victim from initial contact through therapy and sentencing of the offender, Kenneth Stevens.
Zawelski said Butterfly Bridge provided trauma‑focused therapy, support for non‑offending family members, forensic interviews that are recorded for use in court, and court accompaniment. She said the center has about 11 staff across three offices and serves the 19th Judicial Circuit. She invited commissioners to tour the facility and said the county’s support has helped the center serve children locally rather than requiring travel to Montgomery.
Commissioners thanked Zawelski and noted the center’s regional role. No formal funding motion was made during public comment; Zawelski said she would submit any formal budget request through the county’s established process. The commission chair and sheriff’s office representatives urged commissioners unfamiliar with the facility to schedule a tour.
For context, Zawelski said collaboration among agencies saves about $1,000 per case compared with older, uncoordinated approaches; she estimated that collaboration on 25 cases last year saved Chilton County roughly $130,000. She asked commissioners to consider that impact when evaluating any future budget request.
