News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
The Youth Impact Center at Crossville’s Cumberland Mountain School has seen an increase of young men entering the program. But the facility is still at risk to close.
Upper Cumberland Human Resource Center Executive Director Mark Farley said if the center does not reach full capacity by the end of the year, the program may close.
“As time goes on and more cases are refereed to us, we build those numbers up. That will take care of everything,” Farley said. “We got a good staff in place up there now. We are very pleased with who we got overseeing the operation. It is just a matter of getting young men to us.”
Farley said with courts opening back up, clients are becoming more available. The organization is currently running at half capacity.
“We would have to have it a full capacity to maintain this program,” Farley said. “If for some reason we were to close down the Cumberland Mountain School, the facilities might be able to be switched to some other program like substance abuse. We do not want to make that move unless absolutely necessary.”
When Covid shutdown the courts, the youth center was not being assigned enough cases to make enough revenue. Farley said the Youth Impact Center at Crossville’s Cumberland Mountain School could still be a casualty of Covid if another shutdown happens.
“As long as we do not have to take a step back because of the Covid, that is the unknown,” Farley said. “If things keep progressing, hopefully in the next six months we will be back at capacity.”
Farley said the program tries to only choose cases with young men familiar with rural areas. Farley said bringing cases from bigger cities usually creates issues.
The Youth Impact Center at Crossville’s Cumberland Mountain School has faced the most consequences from Covid out of the three facilities. Farley said Crossville’s center had the most turnover in the past year making full capacity harder to achieve.
