Meeting Information

Audit_Oversight

I.          CALL TO ORDER/AGENDA CHANGES                                                                 

The meeting was called to order at 10:05. The agenda was approved.    

II.       APPROVAL OF MINUTES

The minutes from the June 12, 2009 meeting were approved.   

III.    BUSINESS

A. Strategic Planning Preparation

1.  Label Clarification

In a review of the Matrix of Recommendations, some new “Status” indicators were created.  The word “tabled” indicates that the recommendation may be addressed at a later date, which is true for some, but not all.  Certain “Tabled” recommendations are actually not feasible or recommended as a best practice for this community. In light of this distinction, “No Further Action” was created as a status, with the Comments section of the Matrix used to explain why one or the other label was used. 

Additionally, certain recommendations have been largely addressed, but can never be considered fully “Completed.”  The Committee wanted a way to acknowledge the work that has been done, in conjunction with the ongoing nature of certain recommendations.  Some recommendations have been re-labeled “Continuing” as opposed to “In Progress” to clarify this matter. 

2. Framing the Committee’s Work in the Coming Year

Kathy Black raised the idea of framing the Committee’s work using the Executive Directive issued in July 2007 regarding the Audit Recommendations.  This will help the Committee focus more on the broader policy issues rather than the explicit details of the work within and between departments.  She suggested that, per the Executive Directive, the inter- and intra-departmental MOU would be the ideal place to work out the “nuts and bolts” of how recommendations would be accomplished.  This would be a way to not lose the finer points of some of the recommendations. 

Action Steps:

• Laura Marshall will email the Executive Directive to the Committee members for review.
• The Committee will revisit this idea of a framework at the October Justice and Courage Retreat.

3. Prioritization of Recommendations

The Committee reviewed the Matrix, focusing on the recommendations labeled “In Progress,” assigning a priority level to each, with Priority 1 being the highest priority, and Priority 3 the lowest. The specifics of the prioritizations have been incorporated into the matrix itself.  Additionally, comments regarding the re-labeling of recommendations (as noted above), and the re-assigning of certain recommendations to the “completed” or “tabled” categories have been made in the matrix itself. 

Specific recommendations discussed and/or altered include:

Gap 1

I. Administrative Practices #4: Cease using “victim declination form” – moved to No Further Action.

II. Training #1: Identify and allocate funding for training – changed to Continuing

II. Training #4: Creation of formal community-based Training Network – moved to Tabled

II. Training #6: Document all DV training – moved to Completed

II. Training # 8: Creation of web-based training – moved to Tabled

Gap 2

The Committee recommended collapsing recommendations #2, #5, and #8, as they each deal with the issue of appropriately identifying, tracking, and supporting victims in stalking cases. 

Gap 3

#5: Update resource cards to include 311 and Victim Services – moved to Completed

Gap 4

#11: Program for BIP oversight, certification, and training – changed to Continuous

Gap 5

The Committee recommended collapsing recommendations #1 and #2 into the cultural competency training recommendation made under Gap 3.  Though the specific details of training complex communities (as highlighted in these recommendations) must still be determined, the policy issue that the Committee determined to be most important was the overall and continuous need for training about working with San Francisco’s diverse and complex population. 

Action Steps:

• Work with the Justice and Courage Oversight Panel to create a framework for addressing the highest priority recommendations in the coming year.  

B. Engaging the Courts in the Committee

In the course of the review of recommendations for the strategic planning session, the Committee also focused particular attention on those recommendations that should be highlighted during the September Committee meeting with representation from the Courts. 

The Committee spent some time discussing the recommendations related to the training of judges.  It is well understood that there has been a large-scale judicial rejection of training mandates, and the Audit recommendations recognize this limitation, stating only that Justice and Courage “recommend mandatory training on domestic violence for all judges…”  The Committee members indicated that the need for training is paramount, and though only recommendations can be made, rather than mandates, there should be official and formal letters or resolutions from Justice and Courage to that effect. 

Action Steps:

• Discuss issues of training judges at the September Audit Implementation Committee meeting.
• Recommend to the Justice and Courage Oversight Panel that an official letter/resolution recommending mandated training of judges be sent to the Presiding Judge, the AOC, and/or other official stakeholders/decision-makers in this matter.

IV.    PUBLIC COMMENT   

None.

V.       ADJOURNMENT      

The meeting was adjourned at 11:30 am.  The next meeting is September 11, 2009.