While the feasibility of implementing a Family Justice Center (FJC) in Delaware started in 2005, the General Assembly passed legislation this session ultimately authorizing its creation.
FJCs provides a place for victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse to receive life-saving services currently available in their community from both non-profit and governmental agencies.
While the bill awaits Gov. John Carney’s signature, a new feasibility study started this year to examine the square footage needs for office and programming space.
Bill Lenihan from Tevebaugh Architecture says they’ve been reviewing options such as new construction and commercial purchase or leasing, but one avenue has stood out in particular.
“The fourth option that we really looked at and zoned in on was existing government or nonprofit type organizations — existing real estate assets that are available or could be available," he explained.
Lenihan says in New Castle County they are looking at a property owned by Woodlawn Trustees on Church Street, the existing National Guard facility and the HOPE Center as potential locations.
In Kent County, they have yet to find vacant real estate that would suit the needs of a center, but in Sussex County, the committee hopes to open a location within the Stockley Center.
Lenihan says the next steps would be proceeding with establishing a FJC on the Stockley Campus, as well as setting up a satellite office at the Church Street location with transitional housing.
“Unfortunately, we did not have that request approved. So the structural improvements and the physical locations are not something that we have funding for at this time," FJC Steering Committee Chair and Domestic Violence Coordinating Council Vice-Chair Laura Graham said.
She explains while around $230,000 per year was approved by the General Assembly for personnel costs, the funding necessary for capital infrastructure was not allocated in this year’s Bond Bill.
Graham says the committee is looking into developing a proposal to collect some funding from the "mini Bond Bill," which is a slate of capital projects that the General Assembly traditionally approves at the beginning of each legislative session — in this case, January 2025.
The committee is also looking into hiring an executive director and staff member for the FJC system.
