Community Budget Issue Requests - Tracking Id #523FY0102
Manatee County Citizens Review
Requester:		Karl Youngs			Organization:		Manatee County Clerks Office
Project Title:		Manatee County Citizens Review			Date Submitted:		1/14/2002 1:55:14 PM
Sponsors:		Mark Flanagan
Statewide Interest:
OPPAGA Report No. 01-14, published in March 2001, found that "the Child Protection Program has not met its legislative goals for keeping children safe from abuse and neglect and for finding children permanent homes and must take additional steps to implement more effective child protection strategies." One such strategy provided by Florida law is the use of volunteer citizens review panels. Five of the nine existing Citizens Review programs in the state currently receive state funding. DCF and the Legislature have focused on building local, community-based partnerships to meet the needs of children and help to respond more positively with longer lasting outcomes.
Recipient:		Manatee County Citizen's Review			Contact:		Karl Youngs
		P. O. Box 25400			Contact Phone:		(941) 741-4037
		Bradenton 34206
Counties:		Manatee
Gov't Entity:		Yes	Private Organization (Profit/Not for Profit):
Project Description:
Manatee County Citizens Review Panels act as a watch-dog over public and private entities charged with providing for the safety and care of Manatee County's abused, neglected and abandoned children placed in foster care or under protective supervision (currently 842 children). The children benefit from the close scrutiny of their well being and safety provided by community volunteers who are not part of the jevenile dependency system. This program is one of five programs receiving state funding at a cost below that which would be required to provide either a judge or hearing officer to perform these hearings.
Measurable Outcome Anticipated:
The project provides in-depth review by trained panel members of every child in Foster Care or Protective Services referred by the Juvenile Court Judge -- a minimum of 540 of Manatee County's abused, neglected or abandoned children -- in the project year.
Amount requested from the State for this project this year:						$126,351
Identify items(s) in the FY 2002-03 Appropriations Bill to be reduced:
Specific Appropriation #:
Specific Appropriation Title:
Amount to be reduced:			$
Total cost of the project:			$181,367
Request has been made to fund:				Operations
What type of match exists for this project?					Local, Private
	Cash Amount:		$12,075		In-Kind Amount:		$42,941
Was this project previously funded by the State?							Yes
	Fiscal Year:		2001-02		Amount:		$121,796
Is future-year funding likely to be requested?							Yes
	Amount:		$131,100
	Purpose for future year funding:					Recurring Operations
	Will this be an annual request?						Yes
Was this project included in an Agency's Budget Request?							Yes
	Agency:		State Court System
Was this project included in the Governor's Recommended Budget?							Yes
Is there a documented need for this project?							Yes
	Documentation:		Judge recommendation; OPPAGA report; State Courts Administrator
Was this project request heard before a publicly noticed meeting of a body of elected officials (municipal, county, or state)?							Yes
	Hearing Body:		Manatee County Legislative Delegation
	Meeting Date:		12/12/2001