Bethesda House asks Covington County for $12,500 to expand services for trafficking and domestic violence survivors

Ashley Jackson, representing Bethesda House, told the commission the shelter opened in 2019 and provides emergency and longer-term residential services to women and children escaping human trafficking or domestic violence. She said the program intentionally keeps a small residential capacity — four beds for women and two for children plus overflow arrangements when required — to preserve quality of care.

"We're intentionally small... so that we can provide the highest level of quality and services possible," Jackson said, describing services including job training, medical and dental care, counseling, and substance-recovery supports. She reported the program is up to 78 women served over its 6.5 years of operation and emphasized a recent local focus on sextortion as a pathway into trafficking.

Jackson requested $12,500 from the county: she said about $10,000 would go directly to services and the remainder toward national accreditation renewal fees. She noted the organization is not state-certified and uses private donations and network transfers to place clients when long-term beds are required.

Why it matters: the shelter provides local options for survivors and training for law enforcement and hospitals; county appropriations would support direct services and accreditation costs. The commission did not vote on the appropriation during the presentation; the request was entered for budget consideration.