January 26, 2006
Welcome
As the first month of 2006 comes to a close, I’d like to wish everyone a very happy new year and the best of luck in keeping to any new year’s resolutions you may have made. This year, the MAG Human Services committees and the MAG staff remain committed and resolved to working with each other and our community stakeholders to provide all of our cities and towns with the most effective and useful human services policy and planning tools possible. As Chair of the MAG Regional Domestic Violence Council, I can say that our group renewed our energies and our focus at the Council’s strategic planning retreat last November. In identifying our priorities for 2006, we certainly recognized that we have our work cut out for us over the weeks and months to come, but we look forward to moving ahead and doing what we can to achieve greater safety and stability for survivors of domestic violence.
This March will mark my last month as the Chair of the MAG Regional Domestic Violence Council as I step down at the end of my two-year term. I would like to take this last opportunity to thank all of the members of the Council who have worked so tirelessly for greater victim safety and offender accountability, both within the context of the Council as well as in their own professional and personal lives. I am truly fortunate to have worked with such a dedicated and passionate group of individuals who so clearly care about this issue. I wish you all the best for 2006 and beyond.
The DV Council is now working with the MAG Regional Council Chair to confirm the new chairperson, and a formal announcement will be made very soon. 
In the meantime, the Council and its subcommittees continue to move ahead on several projects, some of which you will read about below. For further information on any of the domestic violence projects, feel free to contact Teresa Franquiz at MAG at (602) 254-6300 or tfranquiz@mag.maricopa.gov.
I thank you all for your spirit, your energy, and your continued participation.
Vice Mayor Phillip Westbrooks, City of Chandler
HUD Funding Hits New Record
On Tuesday, December 20, HUD announced that funding in the amount of $20,043,200 will be awarded to 48 homeless assistance programs operated by nonprofit agencies and local governments in the MAG Region (more info). MAG’s Continuum of Care Regional Committee on Homelessness is responsible for developing and submitting the annual regional coordinated grant application for the HUD funds. The funding will be used to provide housing and other services for homeless individuals and families.
The funding is provided as part of the federal Stuart B. McKinney Act, which allocates funding for transitional and permanent supportive housing programs. “This funding is very important to homeless people in the Valley. It supports homeless families and individuals as they achieve stability in housing and work to resolve issues contributing to their homelessness,” said City of Phoenix Councilman Greg Stanton, Chair of the MAG Continuum of Care Regional Committee on Homelessness.
The award supports one new program through the Arizona Behavioral Health Corporation with more than $1.3 million to provide permanent housing for 82 chronically homeless individuals. Forty-seven programs will also be renewed with the funding. The money received in the MAG region provides 1,495 beds in permanent housing programs and 1,599 beds in transitional housing programs. The grant also funds supportive services to help homeless people break the cycle of homelessness and help them rejoin the community in a positive way.
“Over the past seven years, the Continuum has been responsible for securing more than $106 million in homeless funding for our region,” said Councilman Stanton. “The amount received this year is the highest award ever received by our region, and we are confident that this funding will help to improve the lives of many Valley residents.”
MAG Continuum of Care Regional Committee on Homelessness
Employers Against Domestic Violence Subcommittee moves to Arizona Foundation for Women
Employers Against Domestic Violence (EADV), a subcommittee of the MAG Regional Domestic Violence Council, has moved to the Arizona Foundation for Women (AFW) as of January 2006. EADV was formed at MAG in 2000 to collaborate with other employers/businesses to address the growing problem of domestic violence and its detrimental impact on the workplace and communities. Since 2000, EADV has grown to include more than 100 members and has supported efforts like The Walk to End Domestic Violence. The Walk raised more than $250,000 for local domestic violence shelters last year. AFW has also taken on responsibility for the Walk.
EADV will be in good company at AFW. AFW also administers the Men’s Anti-Violence Network (MAN). Having one agency host MAN, the Walk and EADV helps to maximize the synergies and resources present in each of the three groups. AFW is a non-profit agency dedicated to helping improve the lives of women and children in Arizona, especially those affected by domestic violence and abuse. By virtue of their experience, resources and mission, AFW is uniquely positioned to help take EADV to the next level.
The MAG Regional Domestic Violence Council will continue to be an EADV member and to fully support their efforts. Please contact Teresa Franquiz at MAG with any questions by calling (602)254-6300. Jodi Liggett, Director of Programs and Policy at AFW, will be the new contact at AFW. She may be reached at jliggett@azfoundationforwomen.org or by calling her at (602) 532-2800 extension 3.
Employers Against
Domestic Violence
Need for Domestic Violence Shelter Determined
For years, the community has needed to reliably quantify the demand for new beds in domestic violence shelters. That number is now available thanks to a study completed by the Victim Services Subcommittee of MAG’s Regional Domestic Violence Council. In a report just accepted by MAG’s Regional Council, the community needs at least 325 more beds to meet the current demand for domestic violence shelter.
Determining this number has been elusive for a variety of reasons. Victims are often reluctant to give personally identifying information when calling for shelter out of fear that their abuser will find out they are trying to leave. When in crisis, victims may need to leave as quickly as possible in order to stay safe. This does not allow for the screening that would be necessary to unduplicate calls. The Victim Services Subcommittee resolved these barriers by conducting two surveys with all local domestic violence shelters. One survey was given to current clients of the shelters while another much more abbreviated survey was administered to people calling for shelter. Technical assistance was provided by professors at Arizona State University’s Partnership for Community Development. Their expertise ensured the results would be statistically reliable and valid.
The study revealed the MAG Region is meeting approximately half the demand for shelter. This means the current inventory of 325 beds needs to be at least doubled. This figure does not take into account the need for beds for singles versus families. The study did find that single women find shelter more easily than families do, however. This activity was supported by a grant from the Governor’s Office for Children, Youth and Families, Division for Women. To read the study in full, please go to: http://www.mag.maricopa.gov/detail.cms?item=5664. Please contact Amy St. Peter at astpeter@mag.maricopa.gov with any questions or comments.
Notice of availability of funds for transportation services for elderly persons and persons with disabilities
Attention non-profit agencies and public bodies which provide transportation services for elderly persons and persons with disabilities:
The Maricopa Association of Governments has been notified by the
Arizona Department of Transportation that funds are available to non-profit agencies and public bodies which provide transportation services for elderly persons and persons with disabilities. Funds are provided by the Federal Transit Act, 49 U.S.Code, Section 5310. These capital funds, which require a 20% match in funds plus fees from the applicant, are used to purchase vehicles to transport people who are elderly and/or with disabilities and cannot use public transit.
Applications will be available at an Application Information & Workshop to be held on Tuesday, February 14, 2006 from 9:30 a.m. – 12:00 pm at the MAG office, 2nd floor, Cholla Room, 302 N. 1st Ave, Phoenix. For further information or to receive an application, contact DeDe Gaisthea at the MAG office; telephone (602) 254-6300; fax (602) 254-6490; or e-mail dgaisthea@mag.maricopa.gov. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation by contacting DeDe Gaisthea at (602) 254-6300. Requests should be made as early as possible to arrange the accommodation.
Upcoming Events
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Regular Meetings For upcoming
MAG meetings, Thursday, February 2, 2006 Monday, February 6, 2006 Thursday, February 9, 2006 Tuesday, February 14, 2006
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Thursday, February 16, 2006 Wednesday, February 22, 2006 Monday, February 27, 2006 Monday, February 27, 2006 |
Events Thursday, February 16, 2006 |
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