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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #1425 |
| 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 |
1/14/2004 9:08:33 PM |
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| Sponsors: |
Bennett |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| OPPAGA Report No. 01-14 (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 (FSS 39.702). Miami's Foster Care Review has consistently received state funding since 1991. DCF and the Legislature have focused on building local, community-based partnerships to meet the needs of children and respond more positively with longer lasting outcomes. The findings and recommendations issued by the Governor's 2002 Blue Ribbon Panel on Child Protection Report specifically listed "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: |
Christine Clyne |
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PO Box 25400 |
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Contact Phone: |
(941) 741-4009 |
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Bradenton 34206 |
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Contact email: |
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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, Inc., (MCCR) Panels act as a watchdog 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 scrutiny of their well-being and safety provided by community volunteers who are not a part of the juvenile dependency system who provide findings and recommendations to the judge. Manatee County's juvenile judges' crowded calendars do not allow for as detailed a review as is performed in Citizen Review hearings, which typically take 45 minutes. Former 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." More than 2,600 children have received reviews since MCCR began its quasi-judicial panel hearings in May 1997. Thirty-five volunteer panel members, from professions 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 atmosphere to give testimony and input as to the progress and well-being of the children. This program cost is well below the funding 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 or Protective Services referred by the Juvenile Court Judge - a minimum of 250 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 Citizen 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: |
$203,293 |
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| Request has been made to fund: |
Operations |
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| What type of match exists for this project? |
Local, Federal |
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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: |
$121,796 |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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Yes |
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Amount: |
$131,681 |
To Fund: |
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? |
Unknown |
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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, OPPAGA, juvenile judge comments |
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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 Legislative Delegation Hearing |
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Hearing Meeting Date: |
10/08/2003 |
