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Partnerships for Family and Children requests $330,000 from Hamilton County to expand crisis capacity
Summary
Partnerships for Family and Children asked the county for $330,000 to add a lethality‑assessment room and another crisis advocate to address growing domestic‑violence shelter demand; the group said bed nights rose 72% over five years and federal Victims of Crime Act funding has fallen.
Partnerships for Family and Children asked Hamilton County for $330,000 to expand crisis capacity at its domestic violence and rape‑crisis programs, citing rising demand and federal funding cuts.
Mr. Hyde, speaking for the organization, said the request would fund an additional lethality‑assessment program room and one crisis advocate. “We're asking you to invest in our most vulnerable citizens,” he told commissioners, saying the county’s contribution would double the program’s ability to move high‑risk victims out of immediate danger and into safe housing for 24–72 hours while a longer‑term placement is found.
Hyde described workload increases: a 72% rise in bed nights in the domestic violence shelter over five years and a 22% increase from FY24 to FY25. He said last year the agency had 1,024 crisis hotline calls dealing with domestic violence and that 263 callers could not be placed in shelter because of capacity limits; 46 people were identified as high‑risk and given priority to move them to safety.
The presenter noted the agency suffered a roughly $720,000 loss in federal Victims of Crime Act funding over a three‑year period and that state and private support partially offset cuts (private fundraising up 31% last year and a state allocation of $334,000 helped stabilize FY25). Hyde said the city of Chattanooga has committed $455,000 toward the family justice center project and is expected to contribute further to move the rape crisis center and increase capacity.
Commissioners asked about regional partners; Hyde said Marian County accounts for about 3% of cases and that recent program cuts (including an elder volunteer program) reduced services and administrative capacity. Hyde said county support of $80,000 would fund a crisis advocate and an additional crisis room as part of the larger $330,000 ask.
No funding decision was made at the session; the request will be considered as the county finalizes its budget.
