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Children's Justice Center director urges county support as federal funding wanes
Summary
Rebecca Martell, director of the Children's Justice Center, summarized services for abused children, cited growing demand and warned of diminishing federal victim-services funding; she asked the county to cover an estimated 7% shortfall to maintain services.
The director of the Utah County Children's Justice Center told commissioners Sept. 5 the county-based center provides 24-hour forensic interviews, medical exams and on-site mental-health services for child victims of abuse and that the program now faces uncertain federal funding that threatens its operating budget.
Rebecca Martell described the center's role as a multidisciplinary hub that coordinates law enforcement, child protective services, medical forensic exams, victim advocacy and long-term therapy. She said the center operates two locations (Provo and a north-county site), provides 24-hour medical response and had more than 4,000 people receive services last year, including 223 medical exams and more than 500 trauma screenings.
Martell said the center is accredited and was initially created by statute in 1991, with a public-private partnership in which a nonprofit owns building space and the county provides insurance and building maintenance.
Martell emphasized two pressures: a rise in reported child sexual abuse and related cases (she said roughly 70% of new children served this year were child sexual-abuse cases) and an uncertain federal funding stream for victim services. She said the federal Victims of Crime Act fund has been drawn down substantially and that national fund balances could be exhausted in a few years at current disbursement rates; the center had previously relied on federal sources to fund staffing.
Martell asked the commission to consider covering an estimated 7 percent of the center's budget that is currently unfunded if federal funds continue to fall. She said the center is not seeking new personnel in 2026 beyond existing staff but asked the county to preserve current service levels rather than reduce services.
Martell also described a planned North County expansion and interest in a Saratoga Springs location for specialized space, and she described the center's work to pilot evidence-based interventions and follow-up care. She asked the county to maintain stable local support while federal sources are restructured.
Commissioners asked clarifying questions; there were no formal votes recorded during the presentation. Martell closed by noting the center's statewide role as a program-model provider and urging the county to protect services while federal funding is uncertain.
