Section 0250-07-04-.06 - COUNSELING FOR PERPETRATORS(1) The primary focus of program services is to meet the needs of victims of family violence, their children or dependents. However, the law allows for the provision of services to the perpetrator. Programs may elect to provide services which target the perpetrator's needs only after all core services for the victims and their children and dependents are fully developed.(2) A shelter program may operate their own perpetrator's program or may contract with an independent program in the community. Program staff time may be used for the training of providers, referrals, court liaison work, and follow-up. Shelter programs which provide direct services to perpetrators or have staff linkage to perpetrator programs must:
(a) Operate with a philosophical base which recognizes battering as a crime, and as a responsibility of the perpetrator; which acknowledges battering as a complex issue which involves power struggles wherein one individual or group uses violence to exert control or maintain control over another; which recognizes that battering has been condoned and perpetrated by systems of discrimination our society.(b) Maintain a separate advisory committee for the perpetrator program and the victim program.(c) Allow court mandated or voluntary program designs. A court mandated design shall maintain clearly enforceable consequences for non-compliance by the perpetrator.(d) Operate the perpetrator program in a separate location from that which serves the victim, their children and/or dependents.(e) Maintain direct contact with the victim's shelter program to ensure the continued safety of the victim, child and dependents.(f) Assure the right of confidentiality of and between the perpetrator and victim.(g) Assure that the provision of services to either the victim or the perpetrator is not conditional or contingent upon participation of either in the other's service plan.Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0250-07-04-.06
Original rule filed May 23, 1986; effective June 22, 1986. Rule assigned a new control number, removed, and renumbered from 1240-7-4-.06 filed and effective March 25, 1999.Authority: T.C.A. §§ 4-5-226(b)(2), 14-33-103, 37-5-101, 37-5-105, 37-5-106, and 37-5-112(a).