After Family Safety Center closure, Shelby County plans Family Justice Center and requests funding

Sandy Bromley, director of the Division of Community Services, told commissioners the nonprofit Family Safety Center closed abruptly in early March and the county's crime victims center has absorbed its calls and services. "Since that day ... we have tripled the numbers of victims of domestic violence we've served at CBRCC since February," Bromley said, reporting a sharp increase in demand and that the center is on track to serve roughly 350 victims in the current month.

Bromley described plans to establish a Family Justice Center as a co-located 'backbone' site that would not itself deliver direct services but would host providers including the crime victims center, the Shelby County district attorney's office, Memphis Police Department and sheriff's office. She said the county will seek to reallocate funds the city previously provided to the nonprofit and pursue state and federal grants, noting the Division of Community Services is heavily grant-dependent (about 80% grant funded).

Bromley asked the commission to consider an upcoming county budget item and said the joint office will have a line item request for the county to support long-term operations. Commissioners raised the need for immediate funding and suggested crafting a resolution with concrete numbers to demonstrate need to federal partners and the U.S. attorney's office.

Bromley also described the county's victim-services network and said forensic and advocacy services remain available, including hospital-based Hospital Violence Intervention Programs at Le Bonheur and Regional One. She highlighted that the county's crime victims center operates 24/7 and noted milestones including a 50-year anniversary and recent designation as a center of excellence.