Family Violence Council - November 18, 2015 - Minutes

Meeting Date: 
November 18, 2015 - 3:00pm
Location: 
400 McAllister Street
Room 617
San Francisco, CA 94102

Family Violence Council Minutes

3-5 pm, Wednesday, November 18, 2015

400 McAllister, Room 617

San Francisco, CA 94102

 

Present:

Mayor, or designee: Paul Henderson

District Attorney, or designee: Liz Tarchi; Julius DeGuia

Chief of Police, or designee: Lt. Edward Santos  

Sheriff, or designee: Delia Ginorio

President of Commission on the Status of Women, or designee: Dr. Emily Murase

Chief of Adult Probation, or designee: Sunny Schwartz; Shannon Bulleri

Executive Director of Department of Emergency Management, or designee: Lorrie Serna

Director of Department of Children, Youth, and Their Families, or designee: Aumijo S. Gomes

Director of Human Services Agency, or designee: Deborah Goldstein

Director of Domestic Violence Consortium: Beverly Upton

Director of Elder Abuse Forensic Center, or designee: Shawna Reeves

Director of San Francisco Child Abuse Council, or designee: Katie Albright

Director of Department of Aging and Adult Services, or designee: Jill Nielsen

Director of Department of Child Support Services, or designee: Thomas Wolf

Public Defender, or designee: Kathy Asada

Superintendent of San Francisco Unified School District, or designee: Erik Martinez

 

 

Absent:

Chair of the Consortium of Batterers Intervention Programs, or designee

Chief of Juvenile Probation

Chief of the Fire Department

Director of Department of Animal Care and Control, or designee

Director of the Department of Public Health, or designee

Human Resources Director, or designee

President of the Board of Supervisors, or designee

Presiding Judge of the Superior Court, or designee

 

Other attendees:

Olga Ryerson, Commission on the Status of Women; Bevan Dufty; Glen Fishman, Institute on Aging; Marissa Sneddy, Riley Center; Shelli Rawlings Fein, First 5; Connie Swain, Molly Reasbeck, La Casa de las Madres; Minouche Kandel, DOSW; Jerel McCrary, Bay Area Legal Aid; Robin Brasso, NCJW; Katie Veatch, Alana Rotti, Nicolette Severson, Maria Tourtchaninova, DOSW

 

  1. Katie Albright commenced the meeting.
  2. Minutes from 9/2/15 were approved. [Dr. Emily Murase/Beverly Upton].
  3. Agenda was approved. 

 

 

IV.Presentation on Gun Surrender Program for Restrained Parties in San Mateo County: Bridget Heffelinger, San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office, Domestic Violence Firearms Compliance Unit

 

Bridget Heffelinger has worked on the Compliance Unit since 2013. Studies have shown that women who are threatened with a gun during a domestic violence incident are more than 20 times more likely to be murdered. In 80% of cases, the lethality is reduced when firearms are removed. The program has worked to protect victims by fully enforcing CA gun laws pertaining to restrained parties. Her work includes the investigation of DV cases at the sheriff’s department, the investigation of firearms, the serving of orders and warrants, law enforcement and community education, facilitating submission of cases to DA, and data entry to track the success of the program. Education is key—police in San Mateo County now know to ask if there are guns in the house when called for domestic violence. In total, 1288 firearms have been surrendered, seized, or sold, and 9166 DV orders have been reviewed. Meeting members proposed to invite the Sheriff elect Vicki Hennessy to have a conversation about adopting this policy in San Francisco

 

 

V.Presentation of Data Collection Protocol for this year’s Family Violence Report

 

Minouche Kandel presented a draft of the data collection protocol to standardize data collection for this year’s Family Violence Report. It was asked that everyone review the page(s) for their departments and agencies, and to look out in their email inboxes for DOSW data requests in the next 2 weeks. It was announced that last year’s report will be finalized and given a press release soon.

 

 

VI.Update on Sentencing Commission

 

Jerel McCrary updated the council on the Sentencing Commission. The Commission heard a presentation on the new court for transitional aged youth. The court meets one day a week.  The major themes of what the court looks at are the nature of the offense and inherent risk factors. Restorative justice is prioritized. Judge Chan sees substantial substance abuse, the need for young adult services attached to the court, the need for more attention to family violence, the problem of homelessness, lack of housing resources, and a dearth of employment opportunities. There is a lack of standardized data on recidivism, and a need for a standardized definition for recidivism. Each agency has a different system for data collection, need to standardize this through a new hub which allows law enforcement to exchange data.

 

VII.Update on new Adult Probation Programming

 

Chief Karen Fletcher commended domestic violence leadership in their creation of domestic violence awareness events in October, reaching both survivors and the general public with speakers and resources.  A very important issue for Probation now is victim restitution, creating an environment in which the restitution process is streamlined and the survivors do not get revictimized.  Eighty percent of cases are going into sentencing without the amount of restitution identified, which makes it very difficult for victims to collect. New system would allow DA to identify the amount, encourage proactive collection. Three probation assistants are in the process of being hired to work on this by identifying specific amounts and following up so it gets paid. Perpetrators who cannot pay will contribute in a way that gives back to the community. Five Keys Charter School will assist with restorative justice programs.  

 

VIII.Presentation on Safe, Health & Ready to Thrive: Debbie Lee, Futures without Violence

Debbie Lee presented on the report drafted by Futures Without Violence “Safe, Healthy, and Ready to Thrive.”  The report details how children aren’t prepared to learn when they have been experiencing trauma. A set of recommendations focuses on early intervention strategies for children experiencing poverty, racism, violence. Further recommendations to come together across sectors during a critical time in which there is new research around brain science and emotional learning, as well as new awareness within the justice system that we need to intervene into children’s lives earlier. Set of policy recommendations within the report has 110 supporters. Debbie Lee went over highlights of the report. The purpose of this report is to build a coalition towards legislative opportunities and leverage state and federal funding.  The Council agreed to sign on to the report. [Upton/Henderson]

 

IX.Key Issues in Family Violence

 

Child Abuse Update

Katie Albright expressed gratitude to partners of the Children’s Advocacy Center. The Advocacy Center is trying to finish a shared database to help move them forward.

 

Elder Abuse Update

Shawna Reeves spoke at the National Guardianship Conference. She talked about the Elder Justice Committee as the largest new development. Also noted that elder abuse is “having a moment” in the national conversation.

 

Domestic Violence Update

The Imminent Danger Policy has been shifted to reduce some of the danger for families who disclose a domestic violence incident in a homeless shelter. Shelters are now being trained, no families will be forced to leave due to a domestic violence incident after 7 pm, and they can only be banned for 15 days after an incident instead of 30. An important accomplishment that has taken years of work.  The Domestic Violence Consortium will also begin training at the police academy again. Moving forward, the Consortium is focusing on the need to work across sectors to get guns out of the hands of perpetrators.

 

X.Resolution Honoring Bevan Dufty

The Council approved a resolution honoring Bevan Dufty for his service to the city as Director of Housing Opportunity, Partnerships and Engagement (HOPE). [Albright /Henderson]

 

 

XI.Public Comment

 

Dr. Emily Murase expressed appreciation for the SFPD, who have added 3 additional elder abuse investigators. She also announced that there is a new 24-hour response for child sex trafficking victims, through Huckleberry House.

 

Paul Henderson reminded all that this Friday is Transgender Day of Remembrance. A recent attack on a transgender woman resident of San Francisco is an opportunity for the city to reiterate its support for this population. City hall will be lit up in blue, pink, and white. He mentioned two events this Friday the 20th, one at 8 am at Mission and 10th, another at 6 pm at the LGBT Center.

 

Meeting was adjourned. Next meeting is February 17, 2016.