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Subcommittee approves funding increase for child advocacy centers, bill advances
Summary
House Bill 641 would raise base contract and forensic-interviewer funding for Tennessee's child advocacy centers to account for long-standing shortfalls; the subcommittee approved the measure and advanced it to full judiciary by voice vote (6-0-1).
House Bill 641, sponsored by Representative Carringer, passed the Children and Family Affairs Subcommittee and will proceed to the full Judiciary Committee after a 6-0 voice vote with one present-not-voting.
The bill addresses what advocates described as a 25-year funding shortfall for Tennessee's 32 accredited child advocacy centers (CACs). Representative Carringer and witnesses explained that CACs provide coordinated forensic interviews, victim advocacy, medical exams and mental-health services for child-abuse victims and argued current state contract amounts have not kept pace with rising costs and caseloads.
Riley King, a survivor who identified herself as working with Childhelp, gave a personal testimonial about receiving a forensic interview and therapy and described the role CACs played in her prosecution and recovery. Eddie Smith, director of organizational advancement for Childhelp, told the committee that the number of children served has increased dramatically (32 centers serving some 32,000 children, according to his statement) and said per-child funding and base contract amounts have eroded since the early 2000s. Smith said a prior one-time appropriation helped, but that recurring contract increases are needed to avoid operating deficits and to sustain satellite offices and travel-based services.
Department of Children's Services legislative director Jim Layman said DCS does not oppose increased funding for CACs but objected to the bill's automatic-increase mechanism. DCS told the committee the bill ties future CAC contract increases to increases in the department's child-protective-services budget (a proposed 75 percent match mechanism), which could constrain future appropriations and create fiscal complications. DCS called its opposition “philosophical and fiscal” and noted a roughly $4.2 million fiscal note not included in the governor's proposal.
Committee members heard questions about how many forensic interviewers are funded, contract terms, and the role of community fundraising. Witnesses said there are 34 funded forensic-interviewer contracts and additional interviewers funded through VOCA and other sources; CAC operating budgets vary and many centers conduct local fundraising while also serving multiple counties.
After discussion the committee approved House Bill 641 and sent it to Judiciary. The clerk recorded six ayes, zero nays and one present-not-voting.
