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HomeMy WebLinkAboutExhibit 7ATTACHMENT A 2005 - 2006 VOCA GRANT APPLICATION Part 1. CERTIFICATION/SIGNATURE I acknowledge that I have read, understand, and agree to the conditions set forth in the Victims of Crime Act Grant Application, Instructions and the Final Program Guidelines for the duration of the grant period. 1 certify that any VOCA grant funds that this Agency might receive will not be used to supplant any state and local funds that would otherwise be available for crime victim services. Further, I certify that the information contained in this application is true, complete and correct. The Applicant agency is the legal name of the agency that is seeking VOCA funding. Enter the name as it should appear on a contract in the event the program receives VOCA funding. Name of Agency: CITY OF MIAMI POLICE DEPARTMENT Judicial Circuit to be served (refer to list on page 7): ELEVENTH CIRCUIT List name of counties served: MIAMI-DADE COUNTY Printed Name of Agency Director: Joe Arriola Street, Post Office Box or Drawer 3500 Pan American Drive City Zip Code Miami, Florida 33133 Signature of Agency Director Area Code/telephone No. (305) 250-5400 Fax No, (305) 250-5410 Date of Signature Type the name of the individual in the Agency who can answer questions about the information contained in this Grant Application. Contact Person: Maria Gonzalez / Tania Bigies Contact Telephone No. (305) 579-65241579-6530 Contact Fax No. (305) 372-4600 1 PART 2. AGENCY ELIGIBILITY a. Identify which of the following categories best describe the applicant agency: ® Public ❑ Private Nonprofit * ❑ Combination Private Nonprofit/Public * * Private nonprofit or a combination private nonprofit/public agency, must provide a photocopy of either a state or federal document that verifies the agency's status as a registered nonprofit organization. For example, a copy of an agency's federal IRS 501c(3) tax exempt status may be used for the required documentation. b. Describe the type of implementing Agency (mark the appropriate category): ® Criminal Justice - Government: ® Law Enforcement ❑ Prosecution ❑ Probation ❑ Court ❑ Corrections ❑ Other U Noncriminal Justice - Government: ❑ Social Services ❑ Mental Health ❑ Public Housing ❑ Hospital ❑ Other n Private Non -Profit: 0 Hospital ❑ Rape Crisis ❑ Religious Organization 0 Shelter ❑ Mental Health Agency 0 Other n Native American Tribe or Organization: ❑ On Reservation 0 Off Reservation ❑ Other: c. Describe the purpose of the proposed VOCA project (mark one): ❑ New Victim Services Project ❑ Continuation of an existing VOCA-funded project ® Expansion or enhancement of a project that is not currently VOCA-funded d. In the following table, provide the amount of funding that is allocated to victim services in your agency for the current fiscal year by funding source. Do not report the agency budget unless the entire budget is devoted to victim services. For example, if VOCA funds are awarded to support a victim advocate unit in a prosecutor's office, then report the budget for the victim advocate unit only. Round amounts to the nearest dollar. Include all expenses which are budgeted for your victim services program (i.e., personnel costs which include salaries for directors, clerical/support staff, victim advocates, counselors, etc.,; training costs; equipment such as computers, fax machines, printers, copiers, telephones, and furnishings, etc.; operating costs such as utilities, postage, printing, office supplies, travel, counseling supplies, etc.). Contact your agency's finance or budget office for assistance in completing this information. Please note: Do not include In -kind match. 2 Funding Source Federal Funding (excluding VOCA) Current Year VOCA (excluding match), if applicable State Funds Local, Public or Private Funds Other (Specify): Total Victim Services Budget $136,500.00 $136,500.00 Current Fiscal Year e. If the applicant agency currently receives federal funding for victim services other than VOCA funds, indicate the source(s) and the use of those funds: N/A PART 3. VICTIMS SERVED AND TYPES OF SERVICES For the total VOCA Project (VOCA grans plus match) identify the victims served and the types of services that the applicant agency proposes to provide. a. Victims to be served. Mark (X) by all that apply. Adult Sexual Assault ❑ Adults Molested as Children ® Assault ►1 Child Physical Abuse L Child Sexual Abuse ►ZI Domestic Violence I DUI/DWI Crashes • Elder Abuse 1/ Survivors of Homicide Victims L Robbery ❑ Other, please identify: b. Types of services. Mark (X) by all that apply. - Mandatory Requirement IT.I Assistance in Filing Compensation Claims 0 Criminal Justice Support/Advocacy El Crisis ❑ Crisis Hotline Counseling ❑ Emergency Financial Assistance ❑ Emergency Legal Advocacy ® Follow-up Contacts ® Information and Referral (In -Person) ■ Shelter/Safehouse Personal Advocacy ❑ Support Groups ❑ Therapy A/ Telephone Contacts El c. If applicable. Mark (X) in the box(s) below ® Does your agency provide first response to crime scenes? ® Does your agency provide after hours call out (respond 24/7)? 3 Part 4. STATEMENT OF NEED Using the information checked under Part 3 - Victims Served and Types of Services, briefly describe the specific need for VOCA funds or the deficiency of services to victims. The response may not exceed one-half page with minimum front size 10. The City of Miami Police Department (MPD) will not have enough resources to provide efficient and effective services to victims of crime in our City. The MPD wants to maintain and enhance the quality of services to meet the immediate needs of crime victims. Currently, the MPD has one full time Victim Advocate and 2 Part Time Victim Advocates. The services to victims are provided out of the Homicide Unit, The MPD, as a First Responder, received in 2004 over 358,000 calls requiring assistance. As a result, 33,553 crimes were recorded. of which 9,138 were crimes to persons. Last year, the MPD provided services to 6,532 victims (approximately 71%) with the Victim Advocates mentioned above. As of 9/30/2005 the MPD will be forced to terminate the contract of the 2 Part Time Victim Advocates due to lack of funds, leaving only 1 Victim Advocate to handle approximately the same amount of crime victims reported in the City. This will leave a huge gap in the services to victims of crime provided by the MPD. Using MPD's current statistics the amount of victims projected without services may reach more than 7,200 persons (approximately 80%) since the Victim Advocate can services approximately 1,700 victims per year. As stated before, the services to victims of crimes are provided by 1 Full Time Victim Advocate, and 2 Part Time Victim Advocates. The 2 Part Times positions will be funded until 9/30/2005. The funds requested will assist the MPD to maintain and enhance the available services citywide, to include the underserved population, more specifically to non-English speaking persons, members of racial or ethnic minorities, and crimes against the elderly. Having briefly described the need, document the need by including the following information as it relates to the service area: Population The City of Miami has 365,000 residents and welcomes over 1.2 million people coming to work, visiting and doing business on an everyday basis within city limits. Most of its population (66%) is Spanish speaking, and 3/4 of its population speaks a language other than English at home. Geographic characteristics This grant will serve the entire 34,5 square miles of the City of Miami. This area is a small but densely populated area. It is home to people primarily from Central and South America. More than 65% of its population is Hispanic or Latino, with 24% African American. The city is populated by minority groups and an elderly population. It has a median income of $23,483. Miami is the poorest large city in the state, and the 4,h poorest in the country. The elderly and low income families are the most vulnerable groups. The City is 7th among most elderly populated cities nationwide. The specific needs and characteristics of the City of Miami residents put a heavy demand on the limited resources of our Miami Police Department. Crime statistics (for the population you are seeking to serve with VOCA funds) According to statistics maintained by the MPD Information Technology Support Section, in 2003 the MPD received 349,150 calls for services. In 2004 the calls for services increased 3% to 358,301, From these calls 70 were Homicides; 5,238 were Burglary; 14,954 were Larceny; 2,386 were Robbery; 6,354 were Assault/Battery; 328 Sex Offenses; and 4,449 were Domestic Violence cases. In 2004, the MPD faced a total of 9,138 person crimes, and 24,414 property crimes, Existing victim services in the community The City and the County count on a variety of service providers (approximately 60 agencies). Service providers such as the State Attorney Office, Victim Services Center, Florida DCF, Legal Aide, New Horizons Center, Florida Immigration Advocacy Center, Florida Counseling, Jewish Family Center, Kristy House, among others, provide their services, knowledge, and expertise to different groups and ethnicities citywide. These agencies provide counseling, prosecution; criminal justice support, advocacy, crisis hotline counseling, free legal services to all victims regardless of ethnicity, age, gender and/or legal status, 4 Non -existing victim services in the community Victim demand for services put a heavy burden on public and private service providers to meet their needs efficiently. Practically all service providers are limited in their resources to provide the best available service to their victims. Services are available to all victims; however the time they wait to receive assistance is a problem since some of these services may sometime take hours to be rendered by the provider. For instance, it would take between 4 to 7 hours for a victim to obtain a restraining order. Transportation is also an issue. Many victims are unable to move from provider to provider as they seek assistance. PART 5. PROJECT PROPOSAL The information provided by the applicant under Part 5 - Project Proposal pertains only to the services related to the proposed Total VOCA Project (VOCA grans plus match). Respond to each of the separate subheadings as described below. The response under each subheading may not exceed one-half page with minimum font size 10. Project Summary - Using the information marked under Part 3 - Victims Served and Types of Services, describe in detail: How will the services indicated in Part 3 (b) be provided to the victims in Part 3 (a)? As a first responder, our Victim Advocates have the ability to provide services right at the crime scene, when it is necessary and requested by the detectives at the scene. • The Victim Advocates will initially contact the victims by phone or mail. They will asses the victims' needs, and file the Victim Compensation Claim if it is required. (40%) • The Victim Advocates will provide crisis intervention if it is necessary, and will refer victims to different agencies in the community. They will request assistance from the Switchboard of Miami (a Victim Service Provider), as needed. (20%) • Every victim will receive the victims' rights brochure and their rights will be explained. (5%) • The Victim Advocates will maintain a good network and professional relationship with other advocates and agencies in order to enhance services provided to the victims and survivors of homicide. (5%) • The Victim Advocates will follow up with the victims by calling, sending a note, or even visiting if necessary. They will maintain a database with the services provided to each victim (25%) • The Victim Advocates will train new Police Officers on victims' rights and will follow up with the rest of the Police Officer Staff in roll call training or by our Unit's monthly bulletin. (5%) The proposed Victim Advocates position will ensure that MPD will continue to provide services to victims. Guided by a Victims Advocate supervisor, the Victim Advocate will follow the Department's policies and procedures in providing services to the victims. In addition to filing a mandatory Victims Compensation Claim, advocates provide immediate support, crisis intervention, referrals, intense short term follow up with individualized case management from the time the crime occurs up to the time that it is turned over to the court system. How many victim advocates/ direct service providers, does your agency staff? Of those, how many are you requesting from VOCA? At this time, MPD has 3 Victim Advocates, 1 Full Time and 2 Part Time. There is not assurance that the contract for the Part Time Victim Advocates will be renewed by the next fiscal year. Nevertheless, the MPD recognizes the limitations in the services that are provide to the victims and intends to reach all victims of crime and provide needed information and referral. The MPD would like to maintain and enhance the program by contracting a Victim Advocate position to reach and service more victims of all crimes. The Victim Advocate will be paid with funds from the VOCA grant. Coordination of Services - The VOCA Final Program Guidelines mandate that grant recipients coordinate services with other area service providers. Under this subheading: Identify agencies with which the proposed VOCA project will coordinate its services. As first Responders, the MPD has a list of Agencies providing services to Victims of Crime within Miami Dade County. For referrals, the VA will find 2 or 3 Services Providers in the area where the victim lives or works. Some of the Agencies the MPD utilizes to coordinate its services are: Office of the Slate Attorney Switchboard of Miami Advanced Center for Therapy Kristi House Victims Service Center Safespace, Inc. Miami Bridge, Inc. Florida Immigrant Advocacy Center New Horizons Legal Aid Lucha Children Psychiatric Center, among others. Describe how the proposed VOCA project will coordinate the services with other service providers in the community. If duplication exists, please explain. Once the initial assessment is made, the Victim Advocate will determine the necessary services to meet the victim's need. The Victim Advocate will make an appointment for the victim or will make the necessary referral and provide the victim with the name of the Service Provider. The Victim Advocate will follow up the case until the service provider takes full responsibility of the referred victim. No duplication of services exists between the services provided by the MPD and the services provided by other service providers. In fact, the victim is benefited by the services, knowledge and experience each service provider offers. Victim Compensation Assistance - The Final Program Guidelines mandate that grant recipients provide assistance in filing victim compensation claims. Refer to the definition in the application instructions. Describe how the proposed project will meet this mandatory requirement. Currently, the MPD meets this mandatory requirement. Police Officers, Detectives, City of Miami NET (Neighborhood Enhancement Team) officers and Victim Advocates are trained to fill out and file a Victims Compensation Claim on behalf of the victim. As per our policies and procedures, all victims are informed and encouraged to file a victim compensation claim, if applicable. In 2003, the Homicide Unit filed 89 cases assisting victims to receive benefits for more than $430,000, Use of Volunteers - The Final Program Guidelines mandate that grant recipients use volunteers. Under this subheading: Describe how volunteers will be utilized Identify the number of volunteers currently utilized in the Victim Services Program. This number must be expressed in full time equivalent(s). Volunteers will be utilized to provide information and brochures to the public, and if necessary they will assist in providing direct services to the victims supervised by the Victim Advocate Supervisor. He/she will be able to fill out intakes, make photocopies, explain the Victims' Rights brochure to the victims, and fulfill other duties as assigned. At this moment the Homicide Unit utilizes volunteers only to distribute and provide information to the community, by placing booth or stands in community fairs, festivals, and public gatherings. Their contribution is calculated as approximately 0.025 FTE Project Continuation - if VOCA funds are no longer available, how does your agency plan to continue funding this program. There is no expectation or guarantee, implied or otherwise that an agency will receive VOCA funding in the future. VOCA applications for grants are subject to a competitive process. if VOCA funds are no longer available, the MPD will continue a funding search to provide services citywide, including an underserved population of victims of crime. Starting October 15', 2005, the MPD will have very limited resources to offer to our victims of crimes. There will only be 1 Victim Advocate supplying the demand for services of our victims. The MPD recognizes the importance of providing services to our victims of crimes, and is actively looking for alternative sources of funding to continue the services. Part 6. GOALS AND OBJECTIVES GOAL 1: Enhance the quality of victim services provided. Objectives: 1, Between October 1 and September 30 the program will provide Information and Referral to crime victims. 1.000 2. Between October 1 and September 30 the program will provide Follow-up Contact to 1.000 crime victims. GOAL 2: Expand services to meet the immediate needs of crime victims. Objectives: 1' Between October 1 and September 30 the program will provide Telephone Contacts to crime victims. 1,000 2. Between October 1 and September 30 the program will provide Personal Advocacy to 100 crime victims. R PART 8. CERTIFICATION REGARDING DEBARMENT U. S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE OFFICE OF JUSTICE PROGRAMS OFFICE OF THE COMPTROLLER Certification Regarding Debarment, Suspension, Ineligibility and Voluntary Exclusion Lower Tier Covered transactions (Sub -Recipient) This certification is required by the regulations implementing Executive Order 12549, Debarment and Suspension, 28 CFR Part 67.510. Participants' responsibilities. The regulations were published as Part VII of the May 26, 1988 Federal Register (pages 19160 — 19211). (BEFORE COMPLETING CERTIFICATION, READ INSTRUCTIONS ON REVERSE) (1) The prospective lower tier participant certifies, by submission of the proposal, that neither it nor its principals are presently debarred, suspended, proposed for debarment, declared ineligible, or voluntarily excluded from participation in this transaction by any Federal department or agency. (2) Where the prospective lower tier participant is unable to certify to any of the statements in this certification, such prospective participant shall attach an explanation to this proposal. Robert Ruano, City of Miami Grants Administrator Name and Title of Authorized Representative 02/24/2005 Signature Date Name of Organization City of Miami (City of Miami Police Department) 400 NW 2"d Avenue, 4th Floor, Miami, Florida Address of Organization