House Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #370 PACE Center for Girls of Broward
Requester:	Aggie Pappas		Organization:		PACE Center for Girls of Broward
Project Title:	PACE Center for Girls of Broward		Date Submitted:		01/31/2000 8:35:40 PM
District Member:	Debby Sanderson		Service Area:		County
Counties Affected:	Broward
Recipient:	PACE Center for Girls of Broward		Contact:		Aggie Pappas
	3115 NW 10 Terrace, Suite 104		Contact Phone:		(954) 561-6939
	Fort Lauderdale 33309
Project Description:
PACE Center for Girls of Broward is requesting a one-time, non-recurring, fixed capital outlay funds to build a freestanding campus that will provide prevention/diversionary services to at-risk girls between the ages of 8-17. Currently, PACE Broward is serving 50 girls a day between the ages of 13-17 in a leased storefront office complex which cannot accommodate any future increase of student population or staff. The space does not provide any means for outdoor recreation or program service expansions. Likewise, despite an increase in the number of younger pre-adolescent girls between 8-12 being referred to PACE for services, the current facility prohibits the expansion of services to this much younger, vulnerable and overlooked population. With the assistance of the private community, PACE Broward has acquired and purchased debt-free 2 acres of land in central Broward (City of Wilton Manors). The construction of this campus will allow: for the expansion of services to the current population; a doubling of the student population, and reduce building operating expenses by more than 50%. This project will also introduce the first PACE Pre-Teen program for girls beginning at age 8. Although maintained in two separate buildings, the PACE Pre-Teen program will encompass the same principles, philosophy and structure of the current PACE programming, thus bringing effective services to younger at-risk girls. This pilot program will assist in the intervention and diversion of long-term delinquent behavior and the need for intense intervention by the Department of Juvenile Justice. It is the intention of the PACE Center for Girls of Broward?s Building and Development Committee to secure funds to match state funding. This cost-effective project will sizably reduce the Center?s annual building operating costs (from approximately $1,800 to $750 a student a year), while doubling the student population served and expanding the age range.
Services Provided/Benefit to State:
PACE is a year round, non-residential prevention program which offers education, counseling and gender specific services to troubled girls who are identified as dependent, status offenders, delinquent or high risk for substance abuse, pregnancy, suicide, or dropping out of school. PACE is extremely cost effective?providing services at half the cost of DJJ incarceration expenses (as reported by the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice). Direct benefits to the State will include decreased juvenile crime among teenage girls, decreased recidivism rates into the juvenile justice system, decreased truancy rates, and improved educational performance among at-risk girls. Introduction of the pilot Pre-Teen program will address the urgent needs of a growing and undeserved population of 8-12 year olds. This model program has the potential to be replicated throughout the state of Florida as an innovative prevention method thus minimizing juvenile delinquency involvement in later years. PACE Center for Girls? treatment programs shall ensure that youth are provided the benefit of services and interventions which produce functional outcomes so that youth can be successfully reintegrated into the community.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
With a debt-free facility, ever excalating rents paid by PACE with funding from our current contract with DJJ will be spent on direct care services for the girls. The anticipated savings for annual building opertional expenses should reduce the current cost of approximately $16 per square foot to a mere $3.60 per square foot while serving twice the student population at out current leased location. The larger, customized floor plan will allow for an increase in current services and introduction of new learning opportunities with an additional computer lab, counseling area, library, science facility, and recreational grounds. Introduction of the first PACE Pre-Teen program, and its replication statewide will decrease the influx of this growing and underserved population. Addressing the habiltual truancy, delinquency referrals, and issues specific to the Pre-Teen population is expected to complement the current program success rate of 90%, creating positive change at an earlier and often more influential age. Increasing the total population of girls served by 100%. The campus will provide an improved image of stability which in turn, improves community involvement and support, but more importantly, it will improve the students' sense of belonging and pride in their school, their community, and themselves.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:				$2,000,000
Total cost of the project:		$4,000,000

Request has been made to fund:			Construction
Is there Local Government or Private match for this request?						Yes
	Cash Amount:	$1,750,000		In-Kind Amount:		$250,000
Was this project previously funded by the State?						No
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?						Yes
	Amount:	$337,500
	Purpose for future year funding:				Recurring Operations
	Will this be an annual request?					Yes
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?						No
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?						No
Is there a documented need for this project?						Yes
	Documentation:	Juvenile Justice Accountability Board's 1999 Prevention Outcome Evaluation Report
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?						Yes
	Hearing Body:	DJJ, District 10 Board
	Meeting Date:	09/30/1999