Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0490-01-.01 - PURPOSES

(1) The purposes of these rules for certified batterers intervention programs in Tennessee are as follows:

(a) To provide minimum standards and certification, and monitoring criteria for batterers intervention programs that elect to identify themselves as "certified batterers intervention programs" for perpetrators of domestic abuse, as defined in Tennessee Code Annotated § 36-3-601.

(b) To assist judges in identifying those batterers intervention programs that are designed and operated in a manner that promotes safety of the victim and the victim's family and associates and accountability of the batterer.

1. These rules for certified batterers intervention programs in Tennessee are for programs to which batterers are court ordered or court referred as a part of the batterer's sentence or plea agreement.

2. These rules are not intended to apply to programs for batterers that are not based on an intervention model.

(c) To provide guidelines for batterers intervention programs that provide intervention services to batterers that help ensure that such programs are designed and operated in a manner that protects victims and holds batterers accountable for abusive and violent behavior.

(d) To provide guidelines for batterers intervention programs on working with other private and governmental agencies on coordinated community-wide and state-wide efforts to eliminate domestic abuse.

(2) If any provision of these rules or the application thereof to any person or circumstance is held invalid, such invalidity shall not affect other provisions or applications of these rules which can be given effect without the invalid provision or application, and to that end the provisions of these rules are declared to be severable.

Notes

Tenn. Comp. R. & Regs. 0490-01-.01

Original rule filed September 30, 1999; effective December 9, 1999.

Authority: T.C.A. §§ 38-12-110 and 36-3-601.