Judiciary Grants Open House

February 3, 2015

Administrative Office of the Courts

Access to Justice Department

http://mdcourts.gov/accesstojustice/ Enhance access to the courts for people who face barriers: poverty, language, culture, ability, gender, representational status

http://mdcourts.gov/accesstojustice/ Maryland Court Interpreter Program Self-Represented Litigants Resources: videos, website, written materials

Language Access Signage Grants FY15 FUNDS. Applications Due: February 20 Separate NOFAs for District and Circuit Courts We provide translation into Spanish, Korean,

French, Russian, and Chinese Funding Period: March 1, 2015 – June 30, 2015.

Access to Justice Grants FY16 FUNDS. Applications Due: March 15 Funding Period: June 1, 2015 – June 30, 2016.

Access to Justice Department

Access to Justice Department

Language Access Signage Grants: TRANSLATION: Contact: Lorena Sevilla Somoza:

lorena.sevilla.somoza@mdcourts.gov or (410) 260-1576

Language Access Signage Grants OR Access to Justice Grants – APPLICATION:Contact: Pamela C. Ortiz: pamela.ortiz@mdcourts.gov (410) 260-

1258 or Deborah Unitus: deborah.unitus@mdcourts.gov (410) 260-1256

http://mdcourts.gov/family

“The mission of family divisions is to provide a fair and efficient forum to resolve family legal matters in a problem-solving manner, with the goal of improving the lives of families and children who appear before the court. To that end, the court shall make appropriate services available for families who need them. The court also shall provide an environment that supports judges, court staff and attorneys so that they can respond effectively to the many legal and nonlegal issues of families in the justice system.”

Department of Family Administration

1) JurisdictionalSupports Family Services in the Circuit Courts as outlined in Rule 16-204.

2) CASA (Court Appointed Special Advocate)Support CASA who train and supervise volunteer advocates assigned to serve children in need of assistance (CINA) as authorized by Rule 3-830.

3) Special ProjectsFunding is offered to support projects that enhance the Judiciary’s ability to provide a fair and efficient process for resolving domestic and juvenile matters. Categories of projects funded include: Domestic

Violence Juvenile Justice Foster Care

Alternative Dispute Resolution

Adult Guardianship Other Domestic

Three DFA Funding Types:

Department of Family Administration

DFA Grant Outcomes FY14Jurisdictional• 24 counties funded• 49,082 people served by family Self Help Centers• 7,884 people received Co-Parenting Education

CASA•15 programs funded, 19 counties served•1,617 children served by 1,007 volunteer advocates•1,920 reports submitted to the court

Special Projects•42 programs funded•8,748 domestic violence victims served by 15 funded programs in 24 counties with 3,416 victims being represented in protective order hearings•461 Community Conferences with 878 youth participants were held by the 4 funded programs•4,309 hours of parenting plan were provided at no cost to the families involved by 6 funded community mediation centers.

Department of Family Administration

Kelly Franks

Program & Policy Manager

Kelly.Franks@mdcourts.gov

410.260.1722

Pen Whewell

Grants Specialist

Pen.Whewell@mdcourts.gov

410.260.1262

http://mdcourts.gov/family/grantadmin.html

GRANTS STAFF:

Department of Family Administration

Foster Care Court Improvement Program

Background

• Federal initiative designed to improve the Court’s performance in the handling of child abuse and neglect cases and to ensure the safety, permanency and well-being of children in foster care.

• Primary focus is on CINA and related TPR and adoption matters

• The ability to award funds is contingent upon the provision of funds by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families

Eligibility Criteria Maryland State or local government, or Non-profit organization, or Institution of higher education within the state of Maryland

Activities Funded- usually awarded to support start up initiatives or one-time events, that directly or indirectly enhance the court’s ability to respond to and manage CINA and TPR cases.

Court Function Improvement

(56% of the grants awarded in FY14 assisted the courts in implementing new initiatives to improve the Court’s functioning – i.e. CINA – TPR mediation, Reducing Court Delay analysis, Fatherhood initiatives, CASA, etc.)

Capacity Building and/ or

(19% of the grants awarded FY14 supported training and education, collecting data and evaluation, implementing cross-over youth initiatives, etc.)

Systemic Reform

(25% of the grants awarded in FY14 assisted in increasing or improving family engagement; family recovery program initiatives; assisted in the adoption and implementation of data systems - to analyze their performance regarding reducing postponements, timeliness, as well as other aspects of child well-being.)

Foster Care Court Improvement Program

Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)

CQI is the complete process of identifying, describing and analyzing strengths and problems and then testing, implementing, learning from and revising solutions.

Ongoing assessment, monitoring and improvement of systems and our work within child welfare by utilizing data.

Plan

Do

Check

Act

Foster Care Court Improvement Program

Joanne Kerr, FCCIP Specialist

Joanne.Kerr@mdcourts.gov

410.260-1259

Tracy Watkins-Tribbitt, FCCIP Director

Tracy.Watkins-Tribbitt@mdcourts.gov

410.260.1427

FCCIP Webpage:

http://www.courts.state.md.us/fccip/index.html

Contact Information

Foster Care Court Improvement Program

Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO)

Alternative Dispute Resolution (ADR) processes like mediation, settlement conferences and community conferencing, help litigants and others resolve their own conflicts in a manner that reduces the court’s caseload and increases satisfaction for participants.

MACRO works with stakeholders statewide to develop, improve, and expand high quality ADR services. One way we do this is by providing funding and technical assistance to courts and programs that provide direct services to the courts.

Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO) provides Grants for…

Conflict Resolution ProjectsFunding in this category is offered to benefit the courts and citizens of Maryland with the goal of increasing efficiency in the courts, expanding access to justice and preventing conflicts from escalating into violence or litigation.

Types of Projects supported: Starting or Expanding an ADR Program Mediator/ADR Practitioner Quality Conflict Resolution Services &

Education Restorative Justice Services ADR-related Research

Community Mediation ProgramsFunding in this category is offered as an important resource for the courts and the general public - providing conflict resolution services to the Circuit and District Courts at the neighborhood level, preventing violence and addressing the underlying causes of conflict in a manner that cannot be achieved in a courtroom.

Requirements: Funding is Performance-based Centers must operate

according to MACRO’s Ten-Point Model of Community Mediation.

Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO)

MACRO provided grants to 7 Circuit Courts that mediated 1,791 civil (non-domestic), CINA or family cases, and gave grants for advanced training for staff or roster mediators in 2 additional Circuit Courts.

MACRO supported an innovative mediator coaching project for 4 Circuit Courts in the 2nd Circuit.

MACRO provided grants to 15 community mediation centers serving 22 counties and Baltimore City, that mediated 2,511 cases statewide, including over 512 fee-waiver parenting plan cases for the Circuit Courts and 591 small claims, peace order and day of trial cases for the District Courts.

MACRO provided grants to 4 community conferencing programs serving 8 counties, that together held 595 community conferences to divert young people who have caused harm to others from the criminal justice system.

Some 2014 Highlights

Mediation and Conflict Resolution Office (MACRO)

For more information about MACRO funding, please contact:

Rachel Wohl, Esq.

Director

410-260-3540, rachel.wohl@mdcourts.gov

Alecia Parker

Budget and Grants Director

410-260-3544, alecia.parker@mdcourts.gov

Contact Information

Office of Problem Solving Courts

• Assists District and Circuit Courts in the development, maintenance, and advancement of problem-solving courts in a collaborative therapeutic system.

• Problem-Solving Courts address matters that are under the court’s jurisdiction through a multidisciplinary and integrated approach that incorporates collaboration between court, government, and community organizations.

• Works with public and private stakeholders to develop and establish best practices in problem-solving courts.

• Oversees the financial support for problem-solving courts and is responsible for setting and enforcing programmatic guidelines, creating a statewide management information system, and targeting new and expanding populations for problem-solving courts.

OPSC Grants

• In Fiscal Year 2016, the Problem-Solving Court Discretionary Grant supports District and Circuit Courts to maintain and expand the capacity of existing drug and mental health courts across Maryland.

• The Problem-Solving Court Discretionary Grant’s core purpose areas are to support staff and services targeted for the problem-solving court participants. In Fiscal Year 2016, funds will support court programs to address staffing needs within the Judiciary and collaborating agencies, provide needed ancillary services, provide critical drug/alcohol testing, conduct training, and to enhance treatment services.

Office of Problem Solving Courts

Eligible Activities Academic training/tutoring/GED assistance;

Case Manager and/or Resource Specialist (responsible for overseeing the ancillary service component of the Drug and Mental Health Court which includes: developing case plans, facilitating access to services and monitoring participant progress, not clinical or DPP agent);

Child care;

Community service projects;

Cooperative extension materials;

Drug and alcohol testing;

Employment services and/or vocational services;

Family/marital counseling;

Graduation/acknowledgment certificate and frame;

Group counseling/peer support;

• Health education/life skills;

• Higher education fees/testing/noncredit courses;

• Housing alternatives/resources;

• Medication;

• Panel attorney;

• Parenting/child development classes;

• Problem-Solving Court Coordinator (this is a non-clinical position, responsible for the efficient daily operation of the drug or mental health court which includes the planning, developing, monitoring and evaluation of the problem-solving court;

• Staff training and travel;

• State’s Attorney’s Office;

• Transportation (public and private); and

• Trauma Treatment.

Office of Problem Solving Courts

OPSC Contact Information

Gray Barton, Directorgray.barton@mdcourts.gov

410-260-3617

Jennifer Moore, Deputy Director (Drug Courts)

jennifer.moore@mdcourts.gov

410-260-3618

Robert Pointer, Program Manager (Mental Health Courts)

robert.pointer@mdcourts.gov

410-260-3619

www.mdcourts.gov/opsc

Office of Problem Solving Courts

Facilities Administration

Providing support to ensure safe and secure courts and buildings

Facilities Administration

• Grant monies are awarded to provide and improve security equipment.

• Examples of previous awards• X-Ray Machines

• Magnetometers

• Duress Alarms

• Cameras and Camera Systems

• Access Control

Facilities Administration

For questions please contact:

Keith Bageant410-260-2518keith.bageant@mdcourts.gov