While consideration of establishing a Family Justice Center (FJC) in Delaware began in 2005, the General Assembly passed legislation that session ultimately authorizing its creation.
FJCs provide victims of domestic violence, sexual assault and child abuse a place to receive life-saving services currently provided in their community by nonprofit and government agencies.
While the bill awaits Governor John Carney’s signature, a new feasibility study will begin this year to determine space needs for office and programming space.
Bill Lenihan of Tevebaugh Architecture says they explored options such as new construction and commercial purchase or commercial lease, but one possibility in particular stood out.
“The fourth option that we really looked at and focused on was existing government or nonprofit organizations – existing real estate assets that are available or could be available,” he explained.
Lenihan says in New Castle County they are considering a property on Church Street owned by the Woodlawn Trustees, the existing National Guard facility and the HOPE Center as possible locations.
In Kent County, they have not yet found any vacant land that would meet the requirements for a center, but in Sussex County, the committee hopes to open a location at the Stockley Center.
Lenihan says the next steps would be to establish an FJC on the Stockley campus and open a branch with transitional accommodation at the Church Street site.
“Unfortunately, this request was not approved and as a result, we do not currently have the funds to make the structural improvements and fit out the space,” said Laura Graham, chair of the FJC Steering Committee and vice-chair of the Domestic Violence Coordinating Council.
She explains that while the General Assembly approved about $230,000 per year for personnel costs, the funds needed for capital infrastructure are not included in this year’s bond bill.
Graham says the committee is looking into drafting a proposal to raise some funds from the “mini-bond bill,” a list of capital projects that the General Assembly traditionally approves at the beginning of each legislative session – in this case, in January 2025.
The committee will also consider hiring a managing director and a staff member for the FJC system.
