More resources heading to Metro’s Office of Family Safety
By CAMERON TAYLOR
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NASHVILLE, TN (WSMV) — More resources will be heading to Metro’s Office of Family Safety. It’s to address increased demand for therapy and services for victims of abuse, human trafficking, and violence.
The Family Safety Center is open 24/7. Some victims have longer wait times during after-hours before they can see an advocate about an urgent order of protection.
With new federal money, they hope to fix that problem among others.
“Certainly, the conditions of a pandemic create a pressure cooker in any home let alone a home that was already experiencing abuse,” Diane Lance with the Office of Family Safety said.
In 2020, the office saw a 71% increase in client visits. “That says we need more help,” Jennifer Gamble, a Metro council member said.
Gamble was one of the sponsors on a resolution setting aside more than $3 million for the Office of Family Safety. The money came from the American Recovery Plan Act.
“I know that they have a waiting list. That was one of the issues that we heard when the office of family safety came to address the committee for funding,” Gamble said.
The waiting list is for therapy for victims.
“The waitlist with so many of our nonprofit partners is about three to four months for adults, even longer if you’re non-English speaking and even longer for children,” Lance said.
Lance said the federal funds will go toward adding at least 15 more therapists with those nonprofit partners and hiring more case managers for the Office of Family Safety.
“I certainly hope that the waitlists can be dramatically reduced for therapy, if not eliminated for victims of interpersonal violence,” Gamble said.
Lance said as soon as the money comes into their budget, they’ll start posting the jobs. She told News4 the nonprofit partners will do the same once they apply for the money through a grant process.
If you or someone you know needs help, contact the Office of Family Safety.
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