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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #547 |
| Manatee County Citizens Review, Inc. |
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| Requester: |
R. B. Chips Shore |
Organization: |
Manatee County Clerk of Circuit Court and Comptroller |
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| Project Title: |
Manatee County Citizens Review, Inc. |
Date Submitted |
1/10/2003 11:41:27 AM |
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| Sponsors: |
Miller |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| OPPAGA Report No. 01-14, published in March 2001, found that "the Child Protection Program has not met its legislative goals for keeping children safe from abuse and neglect and for finding children permanent homes and must take additional steps to implement more effective child protection strategies." One such strategy provided by Florida law is the use of volunteer citizens review panels. Two of the four existing Citizens Review Programs in the state currently receive state funding. DCF and the Legislature have focused on building local, community-based, partnerships to meet the needs of children and help to respond more positively with longer lasting outcomes. In 2002, the finding and reccomendations issued by the Governor's Blue Ribbon Panel on Child Protection Report specifically lists "Fully support Foster Care Review panels" as a "Long Term Priority." |
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| Recipient: |
Manatee County Citizens Review, Inc. |
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Contact: |
Karl Youngs |
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P.O. Box 25400 |
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Contact Phone: |
(941) 741-4005 |
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Bradenton, FL 34206 |
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| Counties: |
Manatee |
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| Gov't Entity: |
Yes |
Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
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| Project Description: |
| Manatee County Citizens Review (MCCR) Panels act as a watch-dog over public and private entities charged with providing for the safety and care of Manatee County's abused, neglected and abandoned children placed in foster care or under protective supervision (average population between 850-950 children). The children benefit from the close scrunity of their well-being and safety provided by community volunteers who are not a part of the juvenile dependency system. The Judge's crowded calendar does not allow for as detailed a review as is performed in Citizens Review hearings, which typically take 45 minutes. Juvenile Judge Peter A. Dubensky, has stated that the program is "not only invaluable but essential if the Court is to serve the county's abused and neglected children." MCCR has served over 1500 children since it began its quasi-judicial panel hearings in May 1997. Thirty-five volunteer panel members from profesions ranging from Child Psychologist to Retired business executive serve on seven panels, which conduct weekly hearings. All parties, including the children, are afforded the opportunity, in this open atmophere, to give testimony and input as to the progress and well-being of the children. This program funding costs well below that which would be required to provide either a judge or hearing officer to perform these hearings. |
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| Is this a water project as described in Chapter 2002-291, Laws of Florida? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| The project provides in-depth reviews by trained panel members of every child in Foster Care of Protective Services referred by the Juvenile Court Judge-a minimum of 540 of Manatee County's abused, neglected or abandoned children-in the project year. Also, see attached Program Outcomes and results of trial run survey of Citizens Review participants. |
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$131,681 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$131,681 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Operations |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
Local |
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Cash Amount |
$ |
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In-kind Amount |
$71,612 |
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| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
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Yes |
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Fiscal Year: |
2001-2002 |
Amount: |
$126,351 |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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Yes |
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Amount: |
$135,000 |
To Fund: |
Operations, Continuing operations |
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| Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request? |
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No |
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| Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget? |
No |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
Governor's Blue Ribbon Panel on Child Protection Report |
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| Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)? |
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Yes |
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Hearing Body: |
Manatee County Board of County Commissioners |
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Hearing Meeting Date: |
12/16/2002 |
