Victim Services CMRT Workgroup

11.20.19 CMRT Minutes (253 KB)

Members Present: Annette Kuhlmann; Patricia Rego; Jenna Greenwood; Tammy Hill; Lexi Mueller; Elizabeth LaBroscian; Rick Spoentgen

Members Absent: Jeff Shimon

Call to order: 3:34PM

Certified compliance with  open meetings laws – LaBroscian/Greenwood

Moved to adopt amended agenda: Motion by Greenwood; Second by Rego. Approved by unanimous vote.

No public comment

Agency update:

• DA’s office – new DA started Friday (Michael Albrecht) – opening created for new ADA, in process of accepting applications – 2 people in training for courthouse facility dog

• Hope House – Grant director now on-boarded – Jamie (has knowledge regarding child advocacy centers/ start-ups).

• DHS/CPS – Lexi being brought onto the working group for aiding in policy development and CAC start-up

  • Greenwood – Lori Follendorf promoted to supervisor position to replace Hazel Coppernoll who is retiring. Working on breaking down the data on the types of referrals—been seeing year-over-year increases in reports of alleged maltreatment.

• Kuhlmann – discussion of Wisconsin legislature’s Assembly bill 458 and Senate Bill 493 – proposed legislation to create task force on missing and murdered tribal women and girls. Discussion potential of offering public support for the bill.

Child Advocacy Center (CAC) creation - Greenwood

• Contact made with a person from DOJ to potentially aid in the creation of the local CAC (Elizabeth Champion). Oversees all of the CACs (rules, protocols, etc.) in WI.

• Lexi has reached out to another person (Amanda Didier- Lakeshore CAC) who started a CAC in Ozaukee County and would be willing to meet with us.

  • First step it to plan a meeting with us – provide training and technical assistance.

• Possible potential that Hope House could sell their 8^th Street property to serve as a CAC.

• Discussion of having Elizabeth Champion coming to discuss the prospect of setting up a CAC locally.

• Also possibility of Jennifer Ginsberg (Safe Harbor) coming up and giving pointers.

• Potential question/topics for Elizabeth:

  • Potential best practices for a CAC

  • Logistics for setting up and running a center (cost, staffing, equipment, etc.)

  • Data supporting the need (number investigations by CPS; number of arrest for crimes against children by LE agencies; number of “indictments” for crimes against children; number of adjudications of juveniles for crimes against children). Stat.s serve as a roadmap to ID scope of problem; ID services that are needed to be provided.

  • Potential impacts of the local community (and agencies – LE, DHS, etc.) of needing to utilize the CAC in Madison (potentially discussing with Reedsburg); potential non-compliance as a result of the distance for the victim.

Action plan – below people to acquire data and forward to LaBroscian as soon as possible. Date range for data: 1/1/17 to present in 2019

• Greenwood, Hill, Mueller – to reach out to Safe Harbor for the number of utilizations of Safe Harbor by Sauk County agencies. Also to compile information about CPS referrals/investigations.

• LaBroscian – to reach out to local LE for numbers of arrests/investigations for crimes against children

• Spoentgen – to find number of referrals, charges, and dispositions for crimes against children as well as number of referrals, charges, and dispositions for adjudications of juveniles who committed crimes against children.

• Kuhlmann – to do research into the best practices and potential policy implications.

Next Meeting – 12/18/19 @ 3:30PM – likely to recur on the 3^rd Wed of the month.

• Lexi Mueller to reserve room 213 if possible – if not room will be determined.

Adjourn – Motion by Spoentgen; Second by Rego; Approved by unanimous vote

Respectfully submitted,

Rick Spoentgen

Assistant District Attorney

Sauk County, WI