Carl Perkins Center requests Benton County designate victim-assessment funds to establish local child advocacy services

Carly Wheat, director of the Exchange Club Carl Perkins Child Advocacy Center, asked the Benton County Commission to designate the county’s victim assessment fee as a funding source for the Carl Perkins Center so the organization can establish a fiscal location and provide local services in Benton County.

Wheat said the Carl Perkins Center covers most West Tennessee counties but currently has no physical location in Benton County; Henry County and Carroll County have been providing services to Benton residents. Wheat told commissioners the center served 89 Benton County children last year in cases reported to DCS that met the center’s service criteria (severe sexual abuse, physical abuse, drug exposure or witnessing violent crime). She said staff conducted 14 forensic interviews for Benton County last year, sometimes performing six interviews in a single day; 10 children completed trauma-focused cognitive behavioral therapy (TFCBT) and 13 were enrolled in victim advocacy services. Wheat also said 59 alleged offenders were named in Benton County cases last year.

Wheat asked the commission to use the statutory victim assessment process (Tennessee Code Annotated 40-24-109) to designate the Carl Perkins Center as a recipient of victim assessment dollars. She said the court cost includes a $45 victim-assessment portion, and the Carl Perkins Center requests that $42 of those $45 be designated to support the center’s services in Benton County. Wheat said such designation would help the center establish a local fiscal location, reduce transportation barriers for families who now travel to Henry or Carroll counties for forensic interviews, and fund ongoing therapy and victim advocacy, which can continue for years while cases move through court.

The director answered commissioners’ questions about operations, clarifying that the center provides outpatient forensic interviews, therapy and victim advocacy rather than inpatient treatment. She said the center does not bill insurance and provides services free to families; she noted an average therapy session billed to insurance would cost about $100 but that Carl Perkins provides therapy without billing families.

Commissioners and staff discussed whether Benton County currently collects and retains the victim assessment fees or whether those funds are remitted to the state. One commissioner said some of the county’s $45 assessment may already be designated to other local programs this year; county officials agreed to check with the general sessions court clerk (referred to in the meeting as Sam’s office) and report back. Wheat confirmed the Carl Perkins Center previously received a one-time county donation of about $5,000 and said the center needs a steady revenue stream to maintain a physical location, staff and wraparound services for children.

No resolution was adopted at the meeting. Commissioners asked staff to gather information on current fee collection and designation and to prepare a resolution for the commission to consider at its next meeting.