Transcript Administrative Office of the Courts

Administrative
Office of the Courts
Judiciary Grants Open House
February 3, 2015
Access to Justice Department
 http://mdcourts.gov/accesstojustice/
 Enhance
access to the courts for people who face barriers:
poverty, language, culture, ability, gender,
representational status
 http://mdcourts.gov/accesstojustice/
 Maryland
Court Interpreter Program
 Self-Represented
 Resources:
Litigants
videos, website, written materials
Access to Justice Department
 Language
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FY15 FUNDS. Applications Due: February 20
Separate NOFAs for District and Circuit Courts
We provide translation into Spanish, Korean, French,
Russian, and Chinese
Funding Period: March 1, 2015 – June 30, 2015.
 Access
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Access Signage Grants
to Justice Grants
FY16 FUNDS. Applications Due: March 15
Funding Period: June 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016.
Access to Justice Department
 Language Access
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Signage Grants: TRANSLATION:
Contact: Lorena Sevilla Somoza:
[email protected] or (410) 260-1576
 Language Access
Signage Grants OR Access to Justice
Grants – APPLICATION:
Contact:
 Pamela C. Ortiz: [email protected]
(410) 260-1258
or
 Deborah Unitus: [email protected] (410) 260-1256
Department of Family Administration
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http://mdcourts.gov/family
“The mission of family divisions is to provide a fair and efficient
forum to resolve family legal matters in a problem-solving manner,
with the goal of improving the lives of families and children who
appear before the court. To that end, the court shall make
appropriate services available for families who need them. The
court also shall provide an environment that supports judges, court
staff and attorneys so that they can respond effectively to the many
legal and nonlegal issues of families in the justice system.”
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Department of Family Administration
Three DFA Funding Types:
1) Jurisdictional
Supports Family Services in the Circuit Courts as outlined in Rule 16-204.
2) CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate)
Support CASA who train and supervise volunteer advocates assigned to serve
children in need of assistance (CINA) as authorized by Rule 3-830.
3) Special Projects
Funding is offered to support projects that enhance the Judiciary’s ability to provide a
fair and efficient process for resolving domestic and juvenile matters. Categories of
projects funded include:
 Domestic Violence
 Juvenile Justice
 Foster Care
 Alternative Dispute Resolution
 Adult Guardianship
 Other Domestic
Department of Family Administration
DFA Grant Outcomes FY14
Jurisdictional
• 24 counties funded
• 49,082 people served by family Self Help Centers
• 7,884 people received Co-Parenting Education
CASA
•15 programs funded, 19 counties served
•1,617 children served by 1,007 volunteer advocates
•1,920 reports submitted to the court
Special Projects
•42 programs funded
•8,748 domestic violence victims served by 15 funded programs in 24 counties with
3,416 victims being represented in protective order hearings
•461 Community Conferences with 878 youth participants were held by the 4 funded
programs
•4,309 hours of parenting plan were provided at no cost to the families involved by 6
funded community mediation centers.
Department of Family Administration
GRANTS STAFF:
Kelly Franks
Program & Policy Manager
[email protected]
410.260.1722
Pen Whewell
Grants Specialist
[email protected]
410.260.1262
http://mdcourts.gov/family/grantadmin.html
Foster Care Court Improvement Program
Background
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Federal initiative designed to improve the Court’s
performance in the handling of child abuse and
neglect cases and to ensure the safety, permanency and
well-being of children in foster care.
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Primary focus is on CINA and related TPR and
adoption matters
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The ability to award funds is contingent upon the
provision of funds by the U.S. Department of Health
and Human Services, Administration for Children and
Families
Foster Care Court Improvement Program
Eligibility Criteria
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Maryland State or local government, or
Non-profit organization, or
Institution of higher education within the state of Maryland
Activities Funded- usually awarded to support start up initiatives or one-time events, that
directly or indirectly enhance the court’s ability to respond to and manage CINA and TPR cases.
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Court Function Improvement
(56% of the grants awarded in FY14 assisted the courts in implementing new initiatives to
improve the Court’s functioning – i.e. CINA – TPR mediation, Reducing Court Delay analysis,
Fatherhood initiatives, CASA, etc.)
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Capacity Building and/ or
(19% of the grants awarded FY14 supported training and education, collecting data and
evaluation, implementing cross-over youth initiatives, etc.)
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Systemic Reform
(25% of the grants awarded in FY14 assisted in increasing or improving family engagement;
family recovery program initiatives; assisted in the adoption and implementation of data
systems - to analyze their performance regarding reducing postponements, timeliness, as well
as other aspects of child well-being.)
Foster Care Court Improvement Program
Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)
CQI is the complete process of identifying, describing and analyzing
strengths and problems and then testing, implementing, learning from and
revising solutions.
Ongoing assessment, monitoring and improvement of systems and our
work within child welfare by utilizing data.
Plan
Act
Do
Check
Foster Care Court Improvement Program
Contact Information
Joanne Kerr, FCCIP Specialist
[email protected]
410.260-1259
Tracy Watkins-Tribbitt, FCCIP Director
[email protected]
410.260.1427
FCCIP Webpage:
http://www.courts.state.md.us/fccip/index.html
Mediation and Conflict Resolution
Office (MACRO)
Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes like mediation,
settlement conferences and community conferencing, help litigants
and others resolve their own conflicts in a manner that reduces the
court’s caseload and increases satisfaction for participants.
MACRO works with stakeholders statewide to develop, improve,
and expand high quality ADR services. One way we do this is by
providing funding and technical assistance to courts and programs
that provide direct services to the courts.
Mediation and Conflict Resolution
Office (MACRO) provides Grants
for…
Conflict Resolution Projects
Community Mediation Programs
Funding in this category is offered to benefit
the courts and citizens of Maryland with the
goal of increasing efficiency in the courts,
expanding access to justice and preventing
conflicts from escalating into violence or
litigation.
Funding in this category is offered as an important
resource for the courts and the general public providing conflict resolution services to the Circuit
and District Courts at the neighborhood level,
preventing violence and addressing the underlying
causes of conflict in a manner that cannot be
achieved in a courtroom.
Types of Projects supported:
Starting or Expanding an ADR Program
Mediator/ADR Practitioner Quality
Conflict Resolution Services & Education
Restorative Justice Services
ADR-related Research
Requirements:
Funding is Performance-based
Centers must operate according to
MACRO’s Ten-Point Model of
Community Mediation.
Mediation and Conflict Resolution
Office (MACRO)
Some 2014 Highlights
 MACRO
provided grants to 7 Circuit Courts that mediated 1,791 civil
(non-domestic), CINA or family cases, and gave grants for advanced
training for staff or roster mediators in 2 additional Circuit Courts.
 MACRO
supported an innovative mediator coaching project for 4 Circuit
Courts in the 2nd Circuit.
 MACRO
provided grants to 15 community mediation centers serving 22
counties and Baltimore City, that mediated 2,511 cases statewide,
including over 512 fee-waiver parenting plan cases for the Circuit Courts
and 591 small claims, peace order and day of trial cases for the District
Courts.
 MACRO
provided grants to 4 community conferencing programs serving
8 counties, that together held 595 community conferences to divert young
people who have caused harm to others from the criminal justice system.
Mediation and Conflict Resolution
Office (MACRO)
Contact Information
For more information about MACRO funding, please contact:
Rachel Wohl, Esq.
Director
410-260-3540, [email protected]
Alecia Parker
Budget and Grants Director
410-260-3544, [email protected]
Office of Problem Solving Courts
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Assists District and Circuit Courts in the development, maintenance, and advancement of
problem-solving courts in a collaborative therapeutic system.
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Problem-Solving Courts address matters that are under the court’s jurisdiction through
a multidisciplinary and integrated approach that incorporates collaboration between
court, government, and community organizations.
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Works with public and private stakeholders to develop and establish best practices in
problem-solving courts.
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Oversees the financial support for problem-solving courts and is responsible for setting and
enforcing programmatic guidelines, creating a statewide management information system,
and targeting new and expanding populations for problem-solving courts.
Office of Problem Solving Courts
OPSC Grants
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In Fiscal Year 2016, the Problem-Solving Court Discretionary Grant
supports District and Circuit Courts to maintain and expand the capacity
of existing drug and mental health courts across Maryland.
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The Problem-Solving Court Discretionary Grant’s core purpose areas are
to support staff and services targeted for the problem-solving court
participants. In Fiscal Year 2016, funds will support court programs to
address staffing needs within the Judiciary and collaborating agencies,
provide needed ancillary services, provide critical drug/alcohol testing,
conduct training, and to enhance treatment services.
Office of Problem Solving Courts
Eligible Activities
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Academic training/tutoring/GED assistance;
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Health education/life skills;
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Case Manager and/or Resource Specialist
(responsible for overseeing the ancillary service
component of the Drug and Mental Health Court
which includes: developing case plans, facilitating
access to services and monitoring participant
progress, not clinical or DPP agent);
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Higher education fees/testing/noncredit courses;
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Housing alternatives/resources;
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Medication;
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Panel attorney;
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Child care;
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Parenting/child development classes;
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Community service projects;
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Cooperative extension materials;
Problem-Solving Court Coordinator (this is a non-clinical
position, responsible for the efficient daily operation of
the drug or mental health court which includes the
planning, developing, monitoring and evaluation of the
problem-solving court;
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Drug and alcohol testing;
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Staff training and travel;
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Employment services and/or vocational services;
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State’s Attorney’s Office;
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Family/marital counseling;
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Transportation (public and private); and
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Graduation/acknowledgment certificate and frame;
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Trauma Treatment.
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Group counseling/peer support;
Office of Problem Solving Courts
OPSC Contact Information
Gray Barton, Director
[email protected]
410-260-3617
Jennifer Moore, Deputy Director (Drug Courts)
[email protected]
410-260-3618
Robert Pointer, Program Manager (Mental Health Courts)
[email protected]
410-260-3619
www.mdcourts.gov/opsc
Facilities Administration
Providing support to ensure safe
and secure courts and buildings
Facilities Administration
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Grant monies are awarded to provide and improve security
equipment.
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Examples of previous awards
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X-Ray Machines
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Magnetometers
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Duress Alarms
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Cameras and Camera Systems
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Access Control
Facilities Administration
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For questions please contact:
 Keith
Bageant
 410-260-2518
 [email protected]