KNOXVILLE - During his Weekly Update today, Knox County Mayor Glenn Jacobs talked about the Metro Drug Coalition’s Pathfinder mobile learning lab, the Richard L. Bean Juvenile Service Center, the Bridges to Safety Program, and more.

Mayor Jacobs attended the opening of Metro Drug Coalition’s Pathfinder mobile learning lab. This innovative mobile classroom will visit schools and neighborhoods across our county – especially underserved areas, bringing not only substance misuse prevention education, but also building resilience, confidence, and emotional wellbeing among our young people.

He also touches on the local Juvenile Justice Center.

“Unfortunately, we have discovered more issues since oversight of the facility was transferred to a new board of directors consisting of five county commissioners,” he says. “A recently released 98-page report by the University of Tennessee’s County Technical Assistance Service discovered numerous shortcomings in the management of the facility, from staffing and operations to record keeping, security and standards compliance under the Center’s previous administration.”

There is some good news, though. Things are progressing, he says, but there’s still a lot to do, so the committee asked county commission to delay the transition to the Sheriff’s Office.

Mayor Jacobs also reminds folks that Knox County Criminal Court Clerk Mike Hammond and his team launched a new program to support domestic violence survivors called Bridge to Safety, which serves as a vital connection between victims, law enforcement, and community resources to help individuals safely cross from crisis to confidence. The program provides guidance, support, and direct assistance during some of the most difficult times in their lives. For more information, please visit www.bridgetosafetytn.org or contact the program at (865) 215-3221.