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Home My WebLink About5.2 CALICO FundingReq · · · CITY CLERK File # D[5~í¥HQJ AGENDA STATEMENT CITY COUNCIL MEETING DATE: April 19, 2005 SUBJECT: Child Abuse Listening, Interviewing, and Coordination Center Services (CALICO) Re]JQrt Prepared by; Gary 1. Thuman, Police Chief Funding request letter from CALICO Center ATTACHMENTS: RECOMMENDATION ~ Approve funding request and authorize inclusion in FY 2005/2006 budget FINANCIAL STATEMENT: CALICO Center is requesting a funding contribution in the amouht 0[$2,300 for FY 2005/2006, for services provided to City of Dublin victims of child abuse. DESCRIPTION: The Child Abuse Listening, Interviewing, and Coordination Center (CALICO) is a multidisciplinary forensic interview center that provides a supportive environment for interviewing children and facilitates a collaborative response to child abuse in which the needs of the child take precedence. The center minimizes investigation-related trauma for children, youth, and developmentally delayed adults who are victims of sexual or physical abuse or who witness domestic violence or homicide. Moreover, CALICO assists families in obtaining critical services, develops high-quality forensic evidence for criminal investigations, and promotes collaborations among law enforcement, social services, deputy district attorneys, and medical professionals. Annually, over 1 million children in the United States suffer physical and sexual abuse and criminal neglect; more than 1,000 abused children die each year. A quarter of all girls and one in six boys across the country are estimated to be victims of sexual abuse; their median age is 9. Law enforcement agencies, the courts, social services agencies, and medical professionals must follow detailed, often conflicting protocols for handling the intervention and investigation of these cases. In so doing, some of these agencies re-victimize children, despite best intentions. In Alameda County, about 1,700 cases of child sexual abuse are referred annually to Children & Family Services for investigation. Of those, CALICO sees about 35%, typically the most serious cases, as well as the most severe cases of physical abuse. Prior to 1997, Alameda County child sexual abuse victims were forced to re-tell their stories many times. Each time, the child rehashed traumatic, embarrassing, and painful events to strangers in unsuitable environments such as police cars, noisy offices, or the child's home, sometimes with the alleged offender .________M____W~___________________R_____PW._~___~~__~________________.___________________M________ COPIES TO: Hlec-formsla¡da.tmt.doc 1~2- ITEM NO. '.Z in the next room. Such interviews often led to poor information for legal and social welfare purposes and unnecessary re-victimization of the child. Research shows that a single videotaped forensic interview, conducted by a professional child interviewer, creates less trauma for the child and stronger prosecutorial evidence. CALICO Center accomplishes its mission through the following activities or methods: . · The Center schedules a forensic interview for the child with his/her caregivers shortly after an abuse report has been received by Alameda County's 21 local law enforcement agencies; Alameda County Children & Family Services; Alameda County District Attorney's Office; California Department of Social Services or Community Care Licensing; or Alameda County Family Court. The Center then conducts a video and audio-taped forensic interview-with the child, in the child's language and ina small, child mendly room at the CALICO Center. CALICO conducts 50-65 forensic interviews every month or approXimately 600 per year. · The Center assists every child and family in IlSsessing support while at the Center. CALICO staff and the on-sIte advocate from the County VictimlWitness 01/W) Assistance Program assess the family's needs and offer parents or guardians information and referrals to appropriate services, including mental health referrals' and linkages, and a wide array of human services, as well as V /W services which include payment for counseling and court advocacy. · The Center follows-up by telephone with every family seen at CALICO within two weeks of the interview to ask about the child's well-being and make additional referrals if necessary. · The Center forms a multidisciplinary case team, made up of law enforcement officers, County social workers, deputy district attorneys, and medical and mental health professiouals, at the outset . of each case; and for the duration of each case the team will collaborate on how best to intervene with the child and family and on the investigation and prosecution. · The Center reconvenes the original team in the 8-12 high priority cases each month to review the investigation's progress and the family's access to counseling and other services. Most law enforcement officers severely lack the specialized interview skills necessary to adequately conduct a sexual or physical abuse investigation involving a young victim. Therefore, the services provided by the CALICO Center are extremelv critical from a prosecutorial standpoint and without such services the percentage of cases charged, and subsequent convictions, would be significantly reduced. Additionally, because of the professional staff at CALICO, and their specialized training and individual abilities, young victims are subjected to far less emotional trauma. The CALICO Center is seeking financial support for child forensic interview services for 2005 as a result of a reduction. of Alameda County financial assistance. The CALICO Center is requesting that 20% of its 2005 budget be supported by the 21 law enforcement agencies in Alameda County that utilize the service the Center provides. The City of Dublin is being asked to contribute $2,300 to the 2005 CALICO budget which, financially, represents 2% of CALICO's total cases referred by police In Alameda County. This funding request by the CALICO Center for FY 2005/2006 is expected to continue iDsubsequent years. It is recommended that the City Council approve the funding request and authorize inclusion in the FY 200512006 budget.· e 2~-¿" . . . Board of Dlractan; President Dr Paul Pang Traasurer!Secretary Richard Langs Dlractors Jacquelyn Dlaz Eric G, Masamori Victor L. Morris Robe rt w. Myers Manuel Silva Exacuttva Director Glnnl Ring, MDlv, M$W . Sr, Deputy District Attorney Karen Meredith . CALICO .,(;. I~ Center Child Abuse Listening, Interviewing, and Coordination Center RECEIVED MAR 3 (} 2IlllS pOLICE sERVICES DUBLIN March 29, 2005 Chief Gary Thuman City of Dublin Police Department 100 Civic Plaza Dublin, CA 94568 Dear Chief Thuman; On March lO, 2005 I spoke at the Chiefs/Sheriff meeting in San Leandro to give an update of CALICO's services to abused children and their families. I presented to the group my request for law enforcement support for child forensic interview services for 2005, Each jurisdiction was solicited for an amount equivalent to their usage of the center. Dublin Police Department consists of2 % of CALICO's total cases referred by police in Alameda County, equivalent to the usage by Pleasanton Police Department. We hope that Dublin Police Department can contribute $2,300 to the 2005 CALICO budget. Any contribution is helpful to our program, so we hope you will consider us this year. Support from police agencies keeps CALICO on the map! ¡look forward to continuing to develop a strong partIlering relationship with you and your department. If you have any questions, please contact me to discuss ways we can work together. Sincerely, ~ Ginni Ring Executive Director 't-\"\~o6' 5,;- A t1zI.,;:.JA VWlX;'t 524 Estudlllo Avenue San Leandro, CA 94577 Phone: (510) 895-0702 Fax: (510) 895-0706 Email: calicocenter@yahoo.com Website: www.calicocenter.org ,·1' , ';';' ~.,," 2-~? POLICE JURISDICTIONS: PERCENTAGE OF USAGE REQUEST TO SUPPLEMENT CALICO'S BUDGET FOR 2005 Request 20 % of CALICO's annual budget be supported by law enforcment for 2005 based on average usage over 5 years J urisdicti on Alameda Albany BART Berkeley CHP Dublin/Hayward/Oakland Dublin EB Regional Parks Emeryville Fremont Hayward Livermore Newark Oakland Piedmont Pleasanton San Leandro Sheriff's Dept Union City UC Berkeley % of CALICO CASES 4.0% 1.0% 0.5% 3.0% 0.5% 2.0% 1.0% 1.0% 9.0% 12.0% 6.0% 3.0% 320% 10% 2.0% 7.0% 11.0% 3.0% 1.0% 100.0% · 2005 Fundinq Request $4.600 $1,150 $575 $3,450 $575 $2,300 $1,150 $1.150 $10,350 $13,800 $6,900 $3,450 $36,800 $1,150 $2,300 $8,050 $12,650 $3,450 $1,150 $115,000 · In 2003 CALICO received $53,000 law enforcement support (10% of total budget) 111 2004 CALICO recgived $57,633 law enforcement support (11% of tota!budget}. CALICO has a $575,000 annual budget that includes in-kind salaries and benefits of one Deputy DA and one Executive Director. Approximately $500 to interview one child ReferrinQ AQencies Children & Family Services Lsw Enforcment Out of the Area % Clients Referred 34% 65% 1% 100% · . ~~" .~t" CALICO 3~:;' Center ". . t ~ Child Abuse Listening, Interviewing, and Coordination Center Invoice City of Dublin Police Department I DO Civio PI..a Dublin, CA 94568 Am: Captain Gary Thuman DATE INVOICE # 3/1112005 76 GRANT # Signature INVOICE PERIOD Y car 2005 ITEM DESCRIPTION AMOUNT Dublin Polioe Department 200.5 Child Abuse: Forc:nsic Interview Services 2,300,00 Total $2,300.00 524 EstLldillo Avenue San Leandro, CA 94577 Phone: (510) 895·0702 Fax: (510) 895-0706 Email: calicocenter@yahoo.com Website: www.calicocenter.org