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Funding sought for anti-domestic violence program
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Posted on Sep 12 2005
A bill was recently introduced in the House of Representatives to help fund an anti-domestic violence program.
House Bill 13-374, authored by Rep. Ray Tebuteb, aims to appropriate $49,000 from the Saipan Trust Fund to assist Connecting Families Inc., a private, non-profit organization whose goal is to develop a Child Visitation Center “to promote healing within families affected by domestic violence.”
Tebuteb said the Family Court initially took an interest in setting up a CVC in 1999. Between 2000 and 2001, he said that the Family Violence Task Force decided to make the CVC a long-term priority.
He said that the task force has held fundraising activities for the establishment of a non-profit group to handle CVC but he said that it is not enough to fund the program.
“It’s therefore necessary that the Legislature come in and appropriate some funds to help them fully implement their work,” said Tebuteb.
Connecting Families Inc. was chartered in 2003 and achieved its non-profit status and full board membership in 2004.
Tebuteb said CFI is expecting to get a federal grant to hire a full-time executive director. Further, he said that CFI has been assigned two government buildings, 1262 and 1263.
He said that the CVC will be used as “a safe, neutral location where families can seek support in periods of transition and serve as location where the exchange of children or actual visits can take place.”
He said CFI also plans to offer counseling services and parenting class.
Like Karidat and Ayuda Network, Tebuteb said that CFI will also serve an important function in the CNMI in reducing the incidence of violence at home. CFI is currently chaired by Laura J. Tenorio-Fejeran.
