SR-6-M (46)
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Council Meeting: December 13, 1994
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Santa Momca, California
TO: Mayor and City Council
FROM: City Staff
SUBJECT: Approval of Grant Allocations to Legal Aid Foundation of Los
Angeles (LAFLA) and St. John's Child Study Center
INTRODUCTION
ThiS report requests that the City Council 1} allocate funds to (a) Legal Aid
Foundation of Los Angeles for a comprehensive legal services and domestic
violence Intervention program targeting no- and low-income Santa Momca
residents and (b) St. John' s Child Study Center for a school-linked youth
program targeting at-risk youth in the middle schools and Olympic Continuation
High School; and, 2) authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute
contracts With the selected grantees.
BACKGROUND
On June 28, 1994, the City Council approved the FY 1994-95 CD Plan setting
forth the specific funding recommendations, goals, and objectives of the City's
FY 1994-95 Community Development Program. In so dOIng, the City Council
approved plans and funds to 1} Issue a Request for Proposal (RFP) to strengthen
a school-1m ked youth program targeting Santa Monica middle schools and
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Olympic Continuation High School and 2) provide conditional funding to
Westslde Legal Services (WLS) with the provIsion that they meet certain
program requirements In order to receive continued funding after October of
1994. In addition, the City Council approved a $50,000 Domestic Violence
Set-Aside in response to the increased public awareness and growing need for
services by Victims of domestic violence.
ThiS summer, WLS's Board President notified City staff of their decision to
dissolve the organization as of September 30, 1994. In response, City staff
worked closely with Ocean Park Community Center (OPCC) to continue
operating the Domestic Violence CliniC previously administered by WLS at the
West District Superior Court In Santa Monica. OPCC agreed to continue this
program for a three month period (October through December, 1994) until a
permanent legal services provider could be identified.
City staff issued a targeted RFP soliciting a new legal services provider to
administer a comprehenSive legal service program in Santa Monica and to
program the $50,000 Domestic Violence Set-Aside Identified by CounCil on
June 28, 1994. Simultaneously, a targeted RFP was issued to Implement the
school-linked youth program. The City Council approved this approach to
school-linked programming along with the recommendation to discontinue
funding to the prevIous program provider due to their inability to demonstrate
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effective program, administrative and financial management capabilities.
Notification of the release of both RFPs was made in The Outlook and a funding
alert was sent to an extensive mailing list.
DISCUSSION
In response to these RFPs, two proposals were submitted for the legal servIces
and domestic violence program including: 1) Harriet Buhal Center for Family
Law, and 2) Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA). Seven proposals
were submitted for the school-linked youth program including: 1) Family Service
of Santa MonIca, 2) Jewish Family Service, 3) New Start, 4) Project Heavy
West, 5) St. John's Child Study Center, 6) UCLA's Child and Adolescent
Psychiatry DIvIsion, and 7) YMCA.
A thorough proposal assessment was made by City staff in conjunction with
two independent review committees comprised of representatives from City
CommIssions, the Santa MOnlca-Malibu Unified School District (SMMUSD), and
other CIty departments. The organizations recommended for funding
demonstrated the strongest ability to target services to people In greatest need
and to provide comprehensive programs that are outcome-oriented. Based on
this evaluation the Legal Aid Foundation of Los Angeles (LAFLA) and St. John's
Child Study Center were selected for funding.
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ProDosed FundinQ Recommendations - The following summarizes the proposed
recommendations including the specific funding level, program description, and
any special program requirements made as a condition of funding:
LEGAL AID FOUNDATION OF LOS ANGELES (LAFLA)
GENERAL LEGAL SERVICES
Recommended for Funding:
$92.047 (6 months)
Program Description: LAFLA proposes to serve approximately
1,000 no- and low-income Santa Monica residents annually
through an office to be located in Santa MOnica. ServIces to be
provided Include individual counsel and advice, brief serVice, full
representation In administrative or court proceedings, as well as
group presentations and clinics in several substantive areas:
landlord-tenant, employment, housing, consumer, individual fights,
immigration, and public benefits. LAFLA will maximize Its service
delivery to clients through the development of an effective pro
bono service delivery system. This Will Include evening cliniCS
staffed by law students from UCLA Law School's EI Centro Legal
pro bono program.
Program Requirements: Proposed FY 1994-95 program
requirements Include: 1} locate easily accessible office space In
Santa MOnica wlthm 45 days of the grant award; 2) develop a
local advisory board comprised of representatives from wlthm the
Santa Monica community; and 3) perform an annual agency audit
according to Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
DOMESTIC VIQLENCE/FAMIL Y LAW
Recommended for Funding:
$23.828 (6 months)
Program Description: LAFLA proposes to serve approximately 750
Santa Monica residents annually through a comprehensive
Domestic Violence/Family Law program that WIll provide services
through a walk-in clinic at the West District Superior Courthouse
in Santa MOnica and through an office to be located in Santa
MOnica. Pnmary services at the courthouse will Include: 1) Initial
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Interview and case evaluation; 2) completion of court forms for
restraining, stay-away, residence exclusion, counseling, child
custody and child support orders, and other matters; 3) filing and
service of process Instructions; 4) preparation of the client for
court appearance; 5) representation, as needed and appropriate,
for court hearings, conciliation court, etc; 6) referrals to law
enforcement agencies, shelters for battered women, psychological
services and other community services; 7) evaluation and referral
for full representation in family law matters by staff or pro bono
attorneys.
Program Requirements: Proposed FY 1994-95 program
requirements Include: 1) raise a minimum 25% direct cash match
to the Santa Monica program; 2) develop a local adVisory board
comprised of representatives from Within the Santa MOnica
community; and 3} perform an annual agency audit according to
Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP).
DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SET~ASIDE
Recommended for Funding:
$50,000
Program Description: LAFLA has submitted a collaborative
proposal with Ocean Park Community Center (OPCC) to implement
this special Domestic Violence Set-Aside. ThiS collaboratIve
proposal seeks to proVide enhanced services to victims of
domestic violence through psychotherapeutic counseling services.
The program will use counseling as a tool to Identify, reduce, and
prevent at-risk behaviors in children, adolescents and families that
could lead to continued generational patterns of family and/or
community Violence. Trained psychotherapists and psychotherapy
mterns will provide individual and group counseling to battered
women and their children through opec's Campion Counseling
Center. In addition, LAFLA will hire a contract attorney With
experience in famIly law, knowledgeable on Issues of domestic
Violence, to jointly recruit and train volunteers with OPCC to
increase staff capacity at the Domestic Violence Clinic located In
the West District Superior Courthouse. The contract attorney will
coordinate two domestic violence trainings With staff members of
OPCC's SOjourn Program, developing an innovatIve domestic
violence cross-training manual for both legal and mental health
communities.
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The proposed program seeks to provide enhanced services on an
ongoing, annual basis. Funding through this special project seeks
to serve an additional 190 VIctims of domestic violence in Santa
Monica annually. City staff will work closely with LAFLA and
OPCC to evaluate the implementation of this special Domestic
Violence Set-ASide over the next six months. Annualized funding
may be recommended as part of the City's FY 1995-96
Community Development Program to be approved by City CouncIl
In May 1995.
ST. JOHN'S CHilD STUDY CENTER
Recommended for Funding:
$63,706 (6 months)
Program Description: St. John's Child Study Center proposes to
proVide an Innovative, multidisciplinary, mental health,
developmental, educational and community outreach program
targeting at-risk youth and their families at John Adams and
Lincoln Middle Schools and OlympiC Continuation High School.
St. John's Will conduct a comprehensive needs assessment to
develop a program that is more senSitive to the specifiC needs at
each school site. The needs assessment will involve youth and
their families, school staff, and other youth providers and
community groups. Program services will be developed to target
an Identified sample of at-risk youth at each school site (based on
factors such as G.P.A, school attendance, and prevIous record of
service). Services will Include case management and advocacy;
indiVidual, group, and family counseling; parenting training and
support; substance abuse Interventions; mentonng; and other
innovative intervention and prevention strategies to be Identified
through the needs assessment. Program services will also be
offered at two park sites (Memorial and Virginia Avenue parks)
during the summer months.
Program Requirements: Proposed FY 1994-95 program
requirements include: 1} implement bilingual, bicultural services;
2) prOVide speCIfIC measurable outcomes for objectives in Program
Plan; 3) Increase youth involvement In outreach plans; 4) create
targeted goals for interim services; 5) raise a mInimum 25% direct
cash match for the Santa Monica program; and 6} perform an
annual agency audit according to Generally Accepted Accounting
Principles (GAAP).
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BUDGET AND FINANCIAl,. IMPACT
All recommended funding levels reflect six-month funding for January 1, 1995
through June 30, 1995 and are currently available through the City's FY 1994-
95 Adopted Budget. All organizations approved for funding in FY 1994-95 may
be prioritized for 12-month funding in FY 1995-96 during the City's CommuOIty
Development Program budget adoption process currently scheduled for May of
1995. Annualized funding levels will be recommended at that time.
Funds have already been appropnated and are available to be allocated
accordingly:
! l3e<;oll\l1lcndlll I" fmID.JI.;;I!IIDl-;"o. r To ~~O~_N9: -
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Arnourjl I
- - ...... _____ III . __
LAFLA - General $92,047 01-400-262- 01-400-262-75010-
Program 75010-6521-16007 6522-16007
LAFLA - $23,828 01-400-262- 01-400-262-75010-
Domestic 75010-6521-16007 6522-16008
Violence
LAFLA - $50,000 01-700-274- 01-400-262-75010-
Domestic 00000-4439-00000 6522-16009
Violence Set-
ASide
St John's Child $63,706 01-400-262- 01-400-262-75010-
Study Center 75010-6227-15857 6228-15857
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RECOMMENDATION
CIty staff recommend that the City Council 11 allocate SIX months of funding
to al Legal AId Foundation of Los Angeles and b) St. John's Child Study Center
and 2} to authorize the City Manager to negotiate and execute contracts with
each organization identified above.
Prepared by: Julie Johnson, Acting Manager
Betty Macias, Senior Administrative Analyst
Human Services Division
Community and Cultural Services Department
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