Legislative Matter

Miami-Dade Legislative Item
File Number: 040130

Printable PDF Format

File Number: 040130

File Type: Report

Status: Accepted

Version: 0

Reference:

Control: County Commission

File Name: ASSESSMENT OF GAPS IN SERVICES

Introduced: 1/15/2004

Requester: County Manager

Cost:

Final Action: 3/16/2004

Agenda Date: 3/16/2004

Agenda Item Number: 11B1

Notes:

PROCESS BY EG

Title:

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE REPORT: A COUNTY-WIDE ASSESSMENT OF GAPS IN SERVICES

Indexes:

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE

Sponsors:

NONE

Sunset Provision: No

Effective Date:

Expiration Date:

Registered Lobbyist:

None Listed

Legislative History
Acting Body	Date	Agenda Item	Action	Sent To	Due Date	Returned	Pass/Fail

Board of County Commissioners	3/16/2004	11B1	Accepted				P

Economic Development and Human Services Committee	2/11/2004	8A	Report Received				P
REPORT:	Mr. Dean Taylor, Director, Department of Human Services, stated the foregoing report was prepared in response to the Board’s request for information on gaps in domestic violence services in the County. He noted the Advocate Center for Training and Treatment was retained by the Alliance for Human Services with funds received from the Domestic Violence Oversight Board to research and prepare a comprehensive assessment to identify gaps in services to domestic violence victims. Ms. Sharon Denaro, representing the Advocate Center for Training and Treatment (ACTT), presented a report entitled, “Domestic Violence Report: Assessment of Gaps in Service.” She summarized the ACTT’s research process, and she noted 34 percent of violent crime was related to domestic violence or sexual assault and 18 percent of homicides within the County were related to domestic violence. Ms. Denaro stated about 50 percent of the women who were involved in domestic violence had children who were also being abused. She expressed concern that domestic violence victims frequently did not want to prosecute their abusers and dropped out of the system. In response to a question by Commissioner Seijas, Ms. Denaro stated most victims of domestic violence with whom she had spoken were not aware of the County’s Domestic Violence Leave of Absence Ordinance. Commissioner Sosa asked that education be provided to the public on the availability of domestic violence services with emphasis on improving the services provided by community-based organizations, particularly to help adolescents identify early warning signs of physical/verbal abuse that lead to domestic violence and to help them avoid and/or escape the cycle of violence inherent in abusive relationships. Commissioner Sosa asked that follow-up reports be provided to the EDHS Committee on the issues, outcomes and recommendations presented by the Advocate Program, Inc./Advocate Center for Training and Treatment (ACTT) in this report. Chairperson Rolle requested a follow-up report regarding the recommendations made in this report. He also requested staff explore ways to inform the public that the Northwest Domestic Violence Center was fully operational to assist women and children and ways to combat the negative publicity this center had received.

County Manager	1/15/2004		Assigned	Barbara Jordan	1/15/2004

County Manager	1/15/2004		Referred	Economic Development and Human Services Committee	2/11/2004
REPORT:	PROCESSED TO PRINT SHOP

Legislative Text

TITLE
Domestic Violence Report: A County-wide Assessment of Gaps in Services

HEADER
TO: Honorable Chairperson Barbara Carey-Shuler, Ed.D. DATE:
and Members, Board of County Commissioners

FROM: George M. Burgess SUBJECT: County Manager�s Report: Domestic
County Manager Violence Report: A County-wide Assessment of Gaps in Services

STAFF RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board accept the following report entitled �Domestic Violence Report: A County-wide Assessment of Gaps in Services� prepared by Sharon Denaro, Esquire of the Advocate Center for Training and Treatment (ACTT) as funded through Miami-Dade County and the Miami-Dade County Domestic Violence Oversight Board. The report is being provided in order to respond to the Board of County Commissioners� request for information on the current domestic violence services and gaps. The recommendations outlined in the Report are in the process of being reviewed by the Miami-Dade Domestic Violence Oversight Board (MDDVOB). The MDDVOB will receive input from domestic violence partner agencies in order to have an approved final report.

MANAGER'S BACKGROUND
The Miami-Dade Board of County Commissioners� requested that a comprehensive assessment of domestic violence service gaps be prepared and presented to the Board. The County through the Alliance for Human Services Notice of Funding Availability Process and the Miami-Dade Domestic Violence Oversight Board funded a Community Based Organization, the Advocate Center for Training and Treatment (ACTT) to research and prepare a comprehensive assessment to identify gaps in services to domestic violence victims. ACTT engaged in research, interviewed system partners, disseminated and analyzed surveys and conducted focus workshops and numerous meetings to obtain the data. The opinions and recommendations outlined in the attached report represent the recommendations obtained by the community and system partners that participated in the process. The Report is divided into five sections: Advocacy, Police, Prosecution, Courts and Monitoring and Treatment. The Executive Summary provides a synopsis of the recommendations from the Advocacy Community, the Police, the Prosecution, the Court and the Monitoring and Treatment Community.