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Local Program 2006-2007
- Support, through education and advocacy, resources needed for children
at risk in Lee County. - Promote essential human services delivery to people living in Lee County
by support programs that enhance the well-being of individuals,
recognize the special needs of children and families, and provide adequate
shelter.
| General Membership Meeting Saturday, March 4, 2006 11:30 a.m. - 2 p.m. Topic: Children-at-Risk in our Community and Comments on Affordable Housing Speaker: J. Wallace Street Jr. Royal Palm Yacht Club 2360 West First Street Fort Myers, FL 33901 |
| Articles of Interest General Meeting Summary - March 2006 Presentation |
| Updated 4/13/2006 |
| CHILDREN-AT-RISK: Prevention vs. Incarceration |
In the fall, 2003, the Social Policy Committee of the League of Women Voters
adopted a study about children-at-risk to ascertain the state of these children in
Lee County. The Committee worked with three objectives:
The results of the study indicated that children-at-risk were a serious community
problem, and community awareness of the problem needed to be raised.
Statistics for 2003-2004 shows 232 juveniles between the ages of 10-17 from Lee
County were committed to the criminal justice system. The cost to maintain
juveniles are $31,025 (excepting heinous crime) and $65,900 (heinous crime. For
a one year period, it cost is $7,197,800 to maintain 232 juveniles who had not
committed a heinous crime. The amount expended on educating students in
Florida is $6,492. This example shows that it is imperative to find a way to assist
children-at-risk at the earliest opportunity in their lives. One also could draw
the conclusion that prevention is more cost effective than incarceration.
February 7, 2004 the Social Policy Committee organized a community forum,
Children-at-Risk: The Cost of Not Caring. A program was presented that
identified problems involving children from pre-K through 12. The presenters
included community leaders working in the area of education, social services,
and the criminal justice system. There were 160 participants. The goal of the
program was to raise community awareness about the issue.
Summer, 2004: a Task Force of some 30 attendees from our February forum was
organized and embarked on further educating themselves about the issue. The
Task Force invited speakers like Mike Olliff, Budget Director of the School
District of Lee County, who shared with us the proposed school budget.
Continuing its interest in school involvement, the Committee invited social
workers from the school district to present their program. Roger Mercado of the
Neighborhood Accountability Boards presented information about this
neighborhood effort to help young people before they got involved with the
juvenile justice system.
Several action items became evident during the tenure of the Task Force:
These findings lead the Social Policy Committee to focus on children ages 8-11
and to look into existing after school programs that were available in Lee
County for those children. All of our information suggested it was imperative to
find a way to assist children-at-risk at the earliest opportunity. The goal of the
action was to keep children out of the criminal justice system.
On February 19, 2005, the Social Policy committee sponsored a forum, Children
Still At Risk: Why? Two guest presenters, Larry Hart, retired Fort Myers Police
Chief, and Judge Margaret O. Steinbeck, Family Dependency Court, 20th Judicial
Circuit of Florida, presented new information about children-at-risk to an
audience of 50 people. Issues involving parenting and the opportunities for
children-at-risk to get into trouble were discussed. Attendees were introduced to
the Family Drug Court that offers adults, who would otherwise be incarcerated,
an opportunity for rehabilitation and reunion with their families.
In the intervening months from February, 2005 to the present, the Social Policy
committee has focused on several fronts. First, an initiative to hire more social
workers in the school system, designated for elementary schools, was pursued,
and James Browder, superintendent, indicated that the 2005-2006 had budget
allocations for three new social workers. Secondly, the League found a program
in our community that closely matches the goals we were trying to achieve in an
after school program. Lee County Parks and Recreation Department and the U.
S. Tennis Association's First Serve Program received a 21st Century grant from
the Florida Department of Education for an after school and out of school
program for at-risk youths who are experiencing educational failure. The age
group serviced is 7-12 years old, and is located in the Tice and North Fort Myers
communities. Third, the League participated on the Child Watch Steering
Committee that was reorganized by Judge James Seals and Sandra O'Brien, Ph.
D., Florida Gulf Coast University. This program's focus is to establish a PACE
(Practical Academic Cultural Education) Center in Lee County. There are several
PACE Centers located around the State of Florida, and their mission is to assist
abused and neglected girls. Finally, the Social Policy committee for 2005-2006
will examine the lack of affordable housing and its affect on children-at-risk.
Finding citizens and church groups within the community that recognize and
want to be involved with this issue is challenging. The Social Policy committee
continues to make this issue a priority.
adopted a study about children-at-risk to ascertain the state of these children in
Lee County. The Committee worked with three objectives:
- to discover what after school programs were available at churches, social
service agencies, and/or paid for after school programs at particular
schools. - to identify the human services available for children-at-risk.
- to involve members of the community with our program.
The results of the study indicated that children-at-risk were a serious community
problem, and community awareness of the problem needed to be raised.
Statistics for 2003-2004 shows 232 juveniles between the ages of 10-17 from Lee
County were committed to the criminal justice system. The cost to maintain
juveniles are $31,025 (excepting heinous crime) and $65,900 (heinous crime. For
a one year period, it cost is $7,197,800 to maintain 232 juveniles who had not
committed a heinous crime. The amount expended on educating students in
Florida is $6,492. This example shows that it is imperative to find a way to assist
children-at-risk at the earliest opportunity in their lives. One also could draw
the conclusion that prevention is more cost effective than incarceration.
February 7, 2004 the Social Policy Committee organized a community forum,
Children-at-Risk: The Cost of Not Caring. A program was presented that
identified problems involving children from pre-K through 12. The presenters
included community leaders working in the area of education, social services,
and the criminal justice system. There were 160 participants. The goal of the
program was to raise community awareness about the issue.
Summer, 2004: a Task Force of some 30 attendees from our February forum was
organized and embarked on further educating themselves about the issue. The
Task Force invited speakers like Mike Olliff, Budget Director of the School
District of Lee County, who shared with us the proposed school budget.
Continuing its interest in school involvement, the Committee invited social
workers from the school district to present their program. Roger Mercado of the
Neighborhood Accountability Boards presented information about this
neighborhood effort to help young people before they got involved with the
juvenile justice system.
Several action items became evident during the tenure of the Task Force:
- children were entering the criminal justice system at an earlier age than
expected. - children who seemed to be getting into trouble were those that need after
school supervision while their parent complete their work day. - families of the children who were in most need of after school programs
did not have the financial resources to enroll their children.
These findings lead the Social Policy Committee to focus on children ages 8-11
and to look into existing after school programs that were available in Lee
County for those children. All of our information suggested it was imperative to
find a way to assist children-at-risk at the earliest opportunity. The goal of the
action was to keep children out of the criminal justice system.
On February 19, 2005, the Social Policy committee sponsored a forum, Children
Still At Risk: Why? Two guest presenters, Larry Hart, retired Fort Myers Police
Chief, and Judge Margaret O. Steinbeck, Family Dependency Court, 20th Judicial
Circuit of Florida, presented new information about children-at-risk to an
audience of 50 people. Issues involving parenting and the opportunities for
children-at-risk to get into trouble were discussed. Attendees were introduced to
the Family Drug Court that offers adults, who would otherwise be incarcerated,
an opportunity for rehabilitation and reunion with their families.
In the intervening months from February, 2005 to the present, the Social Policy
committee has focused on several fronts. First, an initiative to hire more social
workers in the school system, designated for elementary schools, was pursued,
and James Browder, superintendent, indicated that the 2005-2006 had budget
allocations for three new social workers. Secondly, the League found a program
in our community that closely matches the goals we were trying to achieve in an
after school program. Lee County Parks and Recreation Department and the U.
S. Tennis Association's First Serve Program received a 21st Century grant from
the Florida Department of Education for an after school and out of school
program for at-risk youths who are experiencing educational failure. The age
group serviced is 7-12 years old, and is located in the Tice and North Fort Myers
communities. Third, the League participated on the Child Watch Steering
Committee that was reorganized by Judge James Seals and Sandra O'Brien, Ph.
D., Florida Gulf Coast University. This program's focus is to establish a PACE
(Practical Academic Cultural Education) Center in Lee County. There are several
PACE Centers located around the State of Florida, and their mission is to assist
abused and neglected girls. Finally, the Social Policy committee for 2005-2006
will examine the lack of affordable housing and its affect on children-at-risk.
Finding citizens and church groups within the community that recognize and
want to be involved with this issue is challenging. The Social Policy committee
continues to make this issue a priority.
| League of Women Voters of Lee County |