HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04191988 - IO.6 ro: B®ARD OF SUPERVISORS
FROM: VVl Xtra
INTERNAL OPERATIONS COMMITTEE
Costa
DATE'. April 11 , 1988 (��
SUBJECT: Use of Fire Stations as "Safe Places" w
for Runaway Children
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)-OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1 . Request Supervisor Schroder to meet with the affected
organizations and staff if he believes the proposal should
be pursued in light of the potential cost, liability and
operational concerns expressed by staff .
2 . : Remove. this item'as . a. referral to our Committee.
BACKGROUND:
On March 15, 1.988, the' Board of Supervisors 'referred to our
Committee ' a proposal from Supervisor Schroder that fire stations
in the County be designated as ' "safe places" for runaway
children. based on similar programs in Louisville, Kentucky and
Raleigh,. North Carolina. " On April 11, 1988, our Committee met
with Consolidated Fire Chief . Bill Maxfield, Firefighters 'Union
President Mike Price, County Probation Officer Jerry Buck,
Central Labor Council 'Community Services Representative Joe
Goglio, and representatives from Sherman House, the Child Abuse
Prevention Council, , Family & Children' s Services Advisory
'Committee, Family Stress Center, and Human Services Advisory
Commission.
Chief Maxfield' reviewed with us his memo of April 4 , 1988
expressing a number of concerns about the proposal -and raising
several questions which should be answered before the use of fire
stations as "safe places" is considered for implementation. Mr.
Price indicated he , shared Chief Maxfield' s concerns and that
implementation of such a. program would take a considerable
education effort with. the firefighters..
Mr. Buck noted. that a "Safe Place" Program would be ,a substantial
increase in the current level of programs addressing the .needs of
runaways and, would require substantially more money. He
expressed the concern -that without ' additional funding his
department would be unable to do follow-up counseling for
runaways and their. families.
CONTINUEDONATTACHMENT: YES /SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR X RECOMMENDATION'OF BOARD COMMITTEE
X APPROVE .,OTHER -
y� ,an !�
SiGNATUREISI: Sunne W. McPeak Tom Torlakson _
ACTI.ON OF BOARD ON April 19, 1988 APPROVED AS REC?MMENDED X OTHER
.VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
X UNANIMOUS ('ABSENT - AND 'CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
cc: Listed on Page 2 ATTESTED April 19 , 198$__
PHIL BATCHELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
BY , ,DEPUTY
M382/7-83 -
Page 2
A representative from Sherman House indicated that the "Safe
Place". . Program began as a. model program in Louisville. He has
additional information which he can make available to the
Committee.
Representatives from . the Child Abuse Prevention Council and
Family Stress . Center agreed that counseling is an essential
component of a "Safe Place" Program and that the funding issue
would have to be addressed directly.
Mr. Buck pointed . -out that police . departments are the most
appropriate. resource- if young people could only be convinced that
it is "OKI' to go to the police when they need help.
In summarizing his . position, Chief Maxfield indicated that he
would prefer not to be involved with the program for all the
reasons that he outlined in his memo.
It seems clear to, -our Committee that the "Safe Place" Program is
a, valuable resource for a community. There is no doubt in
anyone' s mind but what the unmet need is present for additional
resources to address the problems of runaways.
The "Safe House" Program. also represents the "next generation" of
development " in programs for runaways and this County does not
currently * have the funds available to properly implement the
' program and provide the follow-up counseling which is an
essential .ingredient of the program.
The use of fire stations as safe places presents some very real
problems which wouldhave to be addressed before any realistic
.,possibility of their use. could be considered.
- For all of these reasons, . our Committee has decided to report the
content of our meeting back to the Board with the recommendation
that Supervisor Schroder pursue this program in more detail with
all of the involved parties if he still wishes to consider
implementation of the program.
cc: County.Administrator
Probation Officer
Chief, Consolidated Fire Dist.
Mike. Price, Pres. , Local 1230
Joe Goglio, Central Labor Council
Sherman House
Child Abuse Prev. Council
Family & Children's-Services Adv. Committee
Family Stress Center
Human Services Advisory Commission