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| Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #563 |
| Positive Spin |
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| Requester: |
Harriet L. Scott |
Organization: |
Positive Spin |
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| Project Title: |
Positive Spin |
Date Submitted |
1/12/2006 10:15:05 AM |
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| Sponsors: |
Crist |
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| Statewide Interest: |
| Florida Families in distress, fragile health or circumstances make up a significant percentage of homeless population. The Statewide Plan For The Prevention Of Child Abuse, Neglect, Abandonment, And Exploitation states "all families and communities ensure that children are safe and nurtured and live in stable environments that promote well-being". One of the objectives of the plan is to provide for adequate housing and economic security.
The Annual Report Of Homelessness In Florida, June 2005 states the following; "The primary causes of homelessness are poverty and the shortage of housing stock affordable to those with limited incomes. Added to these factors was the serious impact to Florida's housing stock from the 2004 hurricanes. Other factors
that contribute to a person's or family's episode of homelessness include:
� Unemployment
� Family break-ups
� Domestic violence
� Physical and mental disabilities
� Health problems and related costs
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| Recipient: |
University Area Community Development Corporation, Inc. |
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Contact: |
Julian Garcia |
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14013 North 22nd Avenue |
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Contact Phone: |
(813) 558-5212 |
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Tampa 33613 |
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Contact email: |
jgarcia@uacdc.org |
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| Counties: |
Hillsborough |
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| Gov't Entity: |
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Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit): |
Yes |
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| Project Description: |
| To enhance programs providing families of the +SPIN program who are homeless or at risk of being homeless with emergency housing assistance, and individual course of action planning which will include intensive assistance with job readiness training and job placement, GED and vocational training, stable health, child safety measures, reunification and permanency. Identification of housing resources, service coordination, advocacy, and partnering with other community businesses, agencies, and programs to assure children of homeless or families at risk of being homeless are prevented from entering and/or re-entering the foster care system. In addition to the great human trauma that is saved through this project intervention, the estimated savings in dollars to the state foster care system by keeping homeless children or at risk children out of the foster care system would be astronomical.
Increasingly, Positive Support For Families In Neighborhoods Program (+SPIN), a child abuse prevention program utilizing a strategy of family support to alleviate stressors known to contribute to the abuse and neglect of children, has seen an increase in cases presenting with the primary issue of homeless or imminent loss of shelter. A review of the thirty-six cases pertaining to homelessness that have come to +SPIN's attention in the last year revealed the following; 1) 78 % are female headed households, an aggregate of ninety-eight children would have potentially been added to the foster care population, children average age being 8 years, the majority of the caretakers had no criminal record, seventeen cases report no medical or mental issues, thirteen cited medical issues, and seven had mental health or substance abuse issues. The total monthly income averaged out to be $666. There were 47% employed with the range of employment predominantly in the service sector which tends to have low wages and limited benefits. Twenty-two families were receiving food stamps, twenty-seven cases were renting apartments or homes with an average rent of $575 per month --- clearly, "one pay check away from children possibly entering the system". Seventeen referrals to +SPIN came from DCF Child Protective Investigations.
Among families who had been involved with child protection and referred to Positive SPiN in FY 2002/2003 93% had no further verified incidents of abuse or neglect after case closure.
Among families who had been involved with child protection and referred to Positive SPiN in FY 2003/2004, 95.3% had no further verified incidents of abuse or neglect after case closure.
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| Is this a project related to a federal or state declared disaster? |
No |
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| Measurable Outcome Anticipated: |
| To reduce the number of children who have come to the attention of child protective services (CPS) and therefore are more likely to be re-abused or re-neglected in the targeted zip code.
To reduce the number of children with verified findings of abuse and neglect in the targeted zip code.
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| Amount requested from the State for this project this year: |
$350,000 |
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| Total cost of the project: |
$700,000 |
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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 |
$75,000 |
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In-kind Amount |
$25,000 |
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| Was this project previously funded by the state? |
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Yes |
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Fiscal Year: |
2005-2006 |
Amount: |
$250,000 |
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| Is future-year funding likely to be requested? |
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Yes |
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Amount: |
$350,000 |
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? |
No |
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| Is there a documented need for this project? |
Yes |
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Documentation: |
June 2005 Statewide Report On Homelessness, 2005 Hillsborough County Report On Homelessness |
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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: |
Hillsborough County Delegation |
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Hearing Meeting Date: |
01/07/2005 |
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| Is this a water project as described in Section 403.885, Laws of Florida? |
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No |
