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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06061995 - SD2 s D , � F&HS-02 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS .......... Contra FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES COMMITTEE FROM: Costa May 22, 1995 County DATE: fL.i`bii+`. SUBJECT: ESTABLISHMENT OF A BLUE RIBBON TASK FORCE ON CHILD ABUSE ISSUES SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS: 1. ESTABLISH a 14 member Blue Ribbon Task Force on Child Abuse Issues, to be composed as follows: ❑ 1 member of the General Public, to serve as Chair of the Task Force. This should be an individual who is independent of County government, who is concerned about family and children' s issues and who will bring a sense of importance, seriousness, credibility and independence to the Task Force and its work. This individual will be nominated by the Family and Human Services Committee from applications received by the Committee. ❑ 1 representative of the Superior Court - Family Law Division, to be named by the Superior Court. ❑ 1 representative of the Juvenile Court, to be named by the Superior Court. ❑• The District Attorney or his designee, to be named by the District Attorney. 0 1 law enforcement representative, to be nominated by the Contra Costa Police Chiefs ' Association. ❑ 1 Social Service Department representative, to be named by the Acting Social Service Director. ❑ The Public Defender or his designee, to be named by the Public Defender. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE: -RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOA M I T E _APPROVE OTHER -`C SIGNATURE(S): MART ec ACTION OF BOARD ON A ROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER The following persons spoke: Ruth Peterson, 4473 Silverberry Court, Concord; Charlie Gutierrez, 137 Wilbur Avenue, #30, Antioch 94509; Sarah Gutierrez, 137 Wilbur Avenue, #30, Antioch 94509; Susan Gutierrez, 137 Wilbur Avenue, #30, Antioch 94509; Greg Willis, 71 Flora Court, Pleasant Hill 94523; and Valery Frosty, 1015 Walnut Street, Martinez 94553. All persons desiring to speak having been heard, the Board APPROVED the recommendations set forth above. VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE XX 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. ATTESTED June 6, 1995 Contact: PHIL BATCHELOR.CLERK OF THE BOARD OF cc: See Page 4 SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR BY DEPUTY F&HS-02 ❑ 1 representative of a non-profit agency such as the Child Abuse Prevention Council, Families First, Family Stress Center, Court Appointed Special Representatives (CASK) , Battered Women's Alternatives, service clubs, or other similar agencies, to be nominated by the Family and Human Services Committee from applications received by the Committee. ❑ 2 consumers (parents) who have had contact with the juvenile court system or family law division of the Superior Court in this County, particularly in regard to child custody and/or child abuse allegations . ❑ 1 representative from the medical profession with a particular background in child abuse detection and treatment, to be nominated by the Family and Human Services Committee from applications received by the Committee from interested individuals or from the Alameda-Contra Costa Medical Association. ❑ 1 representative of the private psychological or psychiatric community with background and a particular interest in cases of child abuse, to be nominated by the Family and Human Services Committee from applications received by the Committee from interested individuals or from professional associations representing these individuals . ❑ 1 representative from SEIU Local 535, to be named by Local 535 . ❑ 1 representative from the Child Abuse Systems Review Committee, to be named by the Child Abuse Systems Review Committee. 2 . AUTHORIZE the Family and Human Services Committee to receive all applications and nominations for the Task Force, to undertake whatever screening and interviewing is judged necessary by the Committee, . and DIRECT the Committee to recommend appointments to all seats on the Task Force following the Committee's July 24, 1995 meeting, preferably on August 1, 1995 . 3 . AUTHORIZE the Family and Human Services Committee to consider, on July 24, 1995, the proposed purpose and scope of the Task Force's roles and responsibilities and RECOMMEND a purpose and scope for the Task Force to the Board of Supervisors on August 1, 1995 . 4 . REQUEST the County Counsel to provide the Family and Human Services Committee with a report on constraints which should be placed on the work of the Task Force in order to avoid any unintended breech of confidentiality and any other related advice the County Counsel wishes to provide to the Committee. BACKGROUND: On May 2, 1995, on the recommendation of Supervisors Mark DeSaulnier and Jeff Smith, the Board of Supervisors referred to the Family & Human Services Committee a proposal to establish a Blue Ribbon Task Force on Child Abuse Issues. On May 22, 1995, our Committee met with Judge Spinetta, Commissioner Berkow, District Attorney Yancey, a number of County staff as well as several parents and other concerned individuals who are interested in the manner in which the child abuse and child custody systems work in Contra Costa County. We emphasized that our Committee wants to form a Task Force which can provide the Board of Supervisors with an objective report on what is being done well in the child abuse and child custody area and what there is that needs to be improved. We readily noted that the Board of Supervisors does not have control of the entire system 2 F&HS-02 and that it is important for the Superior Court to maintain its separation from the legislative and administrative functions of the Board of Supervisors . In addition, we readily acknowledge the independence of the District Attorney and Sheriff-Coroner in carrying our their responsibilities. We are seeking the involvement and cooperation of all involved parties in an effort to jointly examine and improve the system, where improvement is needed. Several parents who have or have had contacts with the child abuse system which have troubled. them and who expressed their concerns to the Board of Supervisors on May 2, 1995, urged that we include one or more parents on the Task Force. We agree that parents need to be involved and have provided two seats for them on the Task Force. All parents who have any testimony to provide to the Task Force will have an opportunity to participate in the work of the Task Force. We do want to insure, however, that the objectivity of the Task Force is preserved and that the Task Force does not become simply a forum in which to register complaints about one or more aspects of the system. We have tried to emphasize that we want the Task Force to look at the child abuse and child custody systems globally and not become embroiled in arguing specific case situations. In terms of the possible purpose and scope of the Task Force, we will be starting from the following staff paper which was provided to us : I . PROPOSED PURPOSE OF THE TASK FORCE 0 To identify all parties involved in receiving, investigating and processing child abuse complaints. ❑ To outline the process which is followed in receiving, investigating and processing child abuse complaints. ❑ To receive testimony from individuals and organizations who wish to provide evidence to the Task Force. ❑ To identify areas in which the child abuse investigation and processing system may need improvement, who should be responsible for implementing the improvements, to define insofar as possible the cost of the recommended changes and possible sources of funding those improvements in the system. ❑ To make recommendations to responsible policy makers (such as the Board of Supervisors, Superior Court, District Attorney) for improvements in the child abuse reporting and processing system. ❑ Where additional action by the State Legislature is required in order to implement the Task Force' s recommendations, to identify the need for additional legislation. II . PROPOSED SCOPE AND RESPONSIBILITY OF THE TASK FORCE'S WORK ❑ The Family & Human Services Committee should determine the willingness of the Superior Court and/or Juvenile Court to participate in the work of the Task Force since this will either broaden or circumscribe the scope of the Task Force's work. ❑ Within 30 days after all appointments to the Task Force have been made, to prepare a work plan for approval by the Family and Human Services Committee which will accomplish each of the purposes identified above within a six month period. 3 F&HS-02 ❑ With the cooperation of the Superior Court, to include in the Task Force's deliberations the process by which the custody of children is awarded by the Court in dissolution of marriage cases where custody is in dispute and where there have been allegations of child abuse. ❑ With the cooperation of the Juvenile Court, to include in the Task Force's deliberations the process by which children are removed from the custody of one or both parent(s) in child abuse situations and placed with another parent or elsewhere with a relative or in a foster or group home. ❑ The Task Force should address "systems" issues and utilize individual anecdotal situations solely for the purpose of improving the overall system. It is not the role of the Task Force to second-guess or investigate any allegations about a specific case or incident which come to the attention of the Task Force, other than to report the allegations to the proper office. III . PROPOSED CHARGE TO THE TASK FORCE ❑ To identify problems, shortcomings or lacks in the existing system for receiving, investigating and processing allegations of child abuse in Contra Costa County and make recommendations to the appropriate policy makers for improvements in the system. At our meeting on July 24, 1995 we will refine these statements with help from all interested parties and will return final recommendations to the Board of Supervisors on August 1, 1995 . cc: The Hon. Peter L. Spinetta Judge of the Superior Court Department 11 The Hon. Lois Haight Judge of the Superior Court - Juvenile Court Judge Department 10 Josanna Berkow, Family Support Referee Department 41 County Administrator Gary T. Yancey, District Attorney Warren Rupf, Sheriff-Coroner Charles H. James, Public Defender Victor J. Westman, County Counsel Bob Hofmann, Acting Social Service Director Damita Davis-Howard, Local 535 4