Fulton County Family Violence Task Force
February 15, 2012
Meeting minutes
Welcome
Amanda Planchard, Co-chairperson welcomed everyone and introductions were made. The following agencies were represented: Oakhill-Fulton County Behavioral Health, Caminar Latino, Carmen Smith- Solicitor General, Solicitor General’s Office of Victims Assistance, Men Stopping Violence, Families First, A New Approach, AVLF, Judicial Corrections Services, City of Refuge, Ahimsa House, GCFV, Medlock Bridge Counseling, Georgia Intervention Alternatives, Road to Recovery, GA Department of Corrections, High Impact training, Hope Atlanta of Traveler’s Aid, Breaking the Chains.
Minutes approved. Motioned by Maya Gupta. Seconded by Casey Anctil.
Old Business
Scheduling Program Overviews:
5/16- Ahimsa House
8/15- Men Stopping Violence
11/14- Families First
Program Overview
Medlock Bridge Counseling Center- Founder David Tillis presents. Located in Alpharetta/Johns Creek. Services offered include: Clinical evaluations for MH, SA, and anger management; Group programs for ASAM, anger management, FVIP, women’s empowerment support group (on sliding fee scale), Only SG in North Fulton area; individual counseling; couples counseling; and family counseling. They screen for batterers and survivors both seeking services from the agency and provide other resources. Contact: 770-495-6339 or Website:
Committee Reports
FVIP- Terry Parks shares attendees from the previous meeting. Discussed meeting room issues from last time, recruitment of sub-committee members, FVIP enforcement, cohesiveness, compliance officers and hearings (like in DeKalb), Sulaiman will invite Brandon Glover, Fulton County compliance officer. Discussion of standardization of fees to ensure standard of quality across the board. Next meeting: April 18, 2012, 2 - 3:30pm. Holistic stress institute is offering a one day anger management program; we have a role in responding to this program.
Community Outreach- Amanda Planchard will report on crime victim’s rights week.
Probation- Gary Byrd is the new chair of this committee. Will report at next meeting
Fatality Review- Amanda Planchard reports. Case was reviewed in December. APD restarted DV unit and were present at review. Recommendations included gun control, probation, and TPO service/dismissal process for reapplications. Will absorb last two issues into existing committees.
Crime Victim’s Rights Week- Fulton task force and PADV were awarded $5000 grant to do bystander and survivor targeted ads (billboards and MARTA commercials) for the month of April. April 22-28 is victim’s rights week. We will have a resource table at Government Center 10-2 (2 hour shifts) each day; will need task force volunteers. Jessica of AVLF volunteered to spearhead organizing the volunteers.
Items for Discussion
Amanda Planchard reports on a number of offenders who were in violations of orders to FVIP and Probation. The judge said “this is not a debtors’ prison” and that JCS should not violate offenders who can’t pay and recommended that FVIPs offer free classes or waive the order all together for those who self-report not having an income. Issues will be addressed within the probation sub-committee to come up with collective response to take forward to judges.
Jennifer Thomas acknowledges that these conversations are happening in many task forces. On March 2, Edward Gandolf will visit GCFV to educate on how to create positive change in our state. For more info visit by 2/20.12. Thanks for attending SVAW. Fatality review position hired. 7 FVIP site visits have taken place. GCFV annual conference on Sept 24-25 in Macon. HB 711- passed and has moved over to the Senate. HB 733- hold over provision for commission members.
Announcements
May 5, 2012 Oakhill teen summit coming up