CSC Minutes 08/07/1992 Children ' s Services
Council of Collier County
Minutes/Transcript
August 7 , 1992
I
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The Children' s Services Council of Collier County
Meeting of August 7, 1992
Council Members Present Council Members Absent
Alma Cambridge Bea Harper
Delores G. Dry Burt Saunders
Judge Cynthia Ellis Mary Ellen zum Felde
Lavern Gaynor
Dr. Thomas Richey
Melinda Riddle
Burt Saunders
Ron Webster
A meeting of the Children' s Services Council was held on Friday,
August 7, 1992 , 9 :00 AM, Collier County School Board.
In the absence of Chairman Bea Harper, the meeting was chaired by
Vice Chairman Judge Cynthia Ellis.
The invocation was given by Paul Pinson, followed by the pledge
of allegiance.
The minutes were approved as presented. Motion made by Ron
Webster; seconded by Melinda Riddle. Passed unanimous.
The treasurer' s report for June 1992 and July 1992 was presented
by Kay Campbell, Council staff. Cash on hand May 31, 1992,
$753 .88, June Income $18,026.94 , June Expenses $5,425.07, Cash on
hand June 30, $13, 355 .75 . July Income $1,218 . 64, July Expenses
$7,460 . 03, Cash on hand July 31, 1992 , $7, 114 . 36 . The report was
approved and filed for audit.
Paul Pinson noted two changes to be made in the agenda: the
addition of a funds update under old business, and the addition
of the Collier/Lee cooperative effort after the Master Resource
System presentation.
Mr. Pinson reported that: 1. the convention he attended in
Seattle was sponsored by Georgetown University and funded by a
federal grant. Naples was selected to be one of seventeen
communities across the nation to attend the meeting. Contact
came through our initiative with the Naples Area Chamber of
Commerce. Noel Piano, Children' s Medical Society, was the lead
coordinator for the Naples Area; 2 . the golf tournament being
organized by Robert Gimari is scheduled for September, a concert
event being organized by CAT Radio and Florida Sports Park is
scheduled for October and the interest of Chick Fillet to become
involved with children' s needs lies particularly with the
C.A.D.E.T. program; 3 . Mary Ellen Hawkins, Fred Dudley and Porter
Goss indicated strong support for the Council and offered to have
staff look into available funding on their respective state and
federal levels; and, 4 . the HRS Gang Prevention Council
legislation focusing on juvenile offender problems provides the
Council with an opportunity for funds. Judge Ellis and Mr.
Pinson, representing the Council as a potential appointed Gang
Prevention Group, have met with Judge Reese, Judge Hugh Starnes
and Douglas Wilkinson, Court Administrator. Judge Ellis has yet
to hear from Judge Reese. Mr. Pinson continued to state that
research is also being conducted into available state legislated
funds that for one reason or another were left over at the end of
the fiscal year. As a grantor of funds and a gatherer of data,
it is significant that Council educate itself on both state and
federal funding levels.
Randy Crawford, C.A.D.E.T. board member, gave a brief report on
the history of C.A.D.E.T. In the early years, the board was
addressing juvenile offenders at the time the red flag would
appear and eventually it became captured with the concept of
community parenting. After three years of gathering data and
constant review it became apparent the mentoring process was the
key to achieving the appropriate results. Legal and ethical
issues and strategies to gain community support were addressed,
honing tools were fashioned, and today, the program is on the
threshold of implementation. The board has completed its formal
orientation and it is anticipated they will be accepting children
the middle of September. Mr. Crawford described the role of the
mentor which requires training, time, purpose and focus of
intention, and then explained that the mediation arbitration
training of three people, mandated by law, is through its first
session with one more session to be completed. Judge Cynthia
Ellis pointed out that when this training is finished Judge Reese
will sign off and the C.A.D.E.T. board will be officially
designated as an arbitrator.
Pam MacKie, C.A.D.E.T. board member, reported on the profile of
the board, the concept being that a person from every facet of
the child' s life and the community, which has input n the child' s
life, be represented. Mrs. MacKie' s role is that of a
representative from the business community, through the Naples
Area Chamber of Commerce. Originally, it was a challenge to
bring the business community into the program. Other C.A.D.E.T.
members were representatives of specific professions dealing
direct with children; whereas, the business community was being
called upon to provide practical assistance such as
transportation, encouraging the child' s hobbies, etc. , as well as
to consider other features of a more serious nature; ie,
insurance so business people can responsibly allow the program to
take place within their places of business. Mrs. MacKie
expressed enthusiasm for the community parenting aspect of the
program and is encouraged by the number of responses that have
been received and the willingness to participate,
Chuck Mohlke, Fraser & Mohlke, reported on the large volume of
information gathered from the 27 experienced service providers
who responded in some manner to the inquiries sent out for the
needs assessment study. A tape of everyone interviewed is
available. The responses ranged from the very, very detailed
complete with outcome information to the sketchiest information,
which has nothing to do with the sincerity nor the willingness to
provide the data, but everything to do with the way in which the
provider is charted to do business and the burden placed upon low
budget administrators whose primary responsiblity is to develop
programs to serve children and parents. In some instances they
do not have the records, and in others they simply do not have
the means nor time to research long stored records. Mr. Mohlke
continued by commenting that even though time has elapsed since
the gathering of data, it might be appropriate to contact the
services providers again, give them the opportunity to review and
update the material.
Kay Campbell reported to the Council that during its process of
creating a central focus on the services and needs of the
children in Collier County, the Council has developed a master
resource system which is the foundation of its on-going public
awareness program and useful in the present planning of the
suggested childrn' s services information and referral program and
statistical data program. When these two programs are completed
the Master Resource System will contain much needed comprehensive
information that will be beneficial both to the consumer and
professional communities.
Mr. Pinson reported on the Collier/Lee Cooperative Agreement
which is simply the ability to develop a working relationship
with the Children' s Services Council of Lee county, the purpose
of which is to broaden our efforts to develop community support,
our intent being that with the knowledge that district wide
funding is available it makes sense for a multi-county approach
to funding opposed to a single county approach. The statute
allows cooperation among more than one children' s services
council as long as separate and distinct fiscal records are
maintained. Judge Ellis and Mr. Pinson received a voice of
support when they met with Judge Hugh Starnes and various other
core members of their Council to discuss collaboration, and were
encouraged to continue with the process of placing the potential
of such an agreement before the Council.
Judge Ellis augmented Mr. Pinson' s report by explaining that Lee
County is trying to regroup. They have access to in-kind services
such as office space, computers, secretarial and clerical help.
They do not have an executive director. We would share Mr.
Pinson. The issue before the Council is to think through on what
is being proposed. After an in-depth discussion by members of
the Council and the audience there was a general consensus that
Mr. Pinson should seek legal counsel and draw up a proposal for
further exploration.
John Masters, Masters Foundation, reported that the mission of
the Foundation is to serve children of the world, particularly on
Chinese culture and the problems of children in the United
States, focusing on prison and juvenile offenders. The challenge
is to work wherever and whenever to prevent and eradicate
juvenile crime. Mr. Masters reported on dialogue with Mr.
Pinson, Judge Ellis, and others in the implementation of their
work. The Foundation is a Massachusetts entity, founded in 1987,
but concentrating its efforts in southwest Florida.
Delores G. Dry, HRS Deputy Administrator, reported it appears
there will be a 17% increase in funding HRS programs; however,
the majority of the increase does not provide for new programs.
The greater part of the increase is due to an increase in
Medicaid services for both children and adults. She pointed out
that on July 1, 1992, the former Children, Youth & Family
Division was split into two separate entities; ie. , delinquency
services and children and family services, a step in the right
direction for both clients and staff. Mrs. Dry also reported
that during the jeriod from January 1991 through June 1992 , there
was an overall district increase in economic services of
approximately 58% and approximately 65%/67% in Collier County.
There being no further business the meeeting was adjourned.
Respectfully submitted,
8/28/92 Mary Ellen zum Felde
Secretary