HomeMy WebLinkAbout23-973RESOLUTiONNO. 22-973
A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY OF DENTON, RATIFYING THE CITY MANAGER’SEXECUTION OF A LETTER OF SUPPORT AND A PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT WITH
CHILDREN’S ADVOCACY CENTER FOR NORTH TEXAS FOR A GRANT APPLICATION:AND PROVIDING AN EFFECTIVE DATE.
WHEREAS, the City of Denton and the Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas (the
“Advocacy Center”) have a longstanding relationship; and
WHEREAS, the Advocacy Center is a non-profit corporation that aids the City of Denton
Police Department in the investigation of child abuse cases and provides client and clinical services
to victims of child abuse and non-offending family members; and
WHEREAS, the City Manager has determined providing a letter of support and a
partnership agreement with the Advocacy Center in connection with its grant application is
necessary to continue the public purpose of the Advocacy Center; and
WHEREAS, the City Council has found and determined a resolution is in the publicinterest; NOW, THEREFORE,
THE COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF DENTON HEREBY RESOLVES:
SECTION 1. The findings and recitations contained in the preamble of this Resolution are
incorporated herein by reference.
SECTION 2. The City Council hereby ratifies the City Manager’s execution of the letter of support
and partnership agreement with the Advocacy Center attached hereto as Exhibit “A”.
SECTION 3. This resolution shall become effective immediately upon its passage and approval.
The motion to approve this resolution was made by A\tson \4a'Aol re and
seconded by BrIM\ Bec pK . The resolution was pXgsed and approved
by the following vote LL - a
Aye Nay Abstain Absent
Mayor Gerard Hudspeth:
Vicki Byrd, District 1 :
Brian Beck. District 2:
Jesse Davis. District 3 :
Alison Maguire, District 4:
Brandon Chase McGee, At Large Place 5 :
Chris Watts, At Large Place 6:
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PASSED AND APPROVED this the \lV– day of . 2022=ifa„,
ATTEST:
ROSA RIOS, CITY SECRETARY b\\\\1l111111
B Y :
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM:MACK REINWAND. CITY ATTORNEY
BY:
childrenadvocacy centerFOR NORTH TEXAS
Partnership Agreement
WHEREAS, Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas (the “Advocacy Center”), the City of Denton
(“Denton”), and the City of Lewisville (“Lewisville”) (collectively, Denton and Lewisville are the “Partners”)
have come together in connection with a grant proposal O-OVW-2022-171037 Improving Criminal Justice
Responses to Domestic Violence, Dating Violence, Sexual Assault, and Stalking Grant Program to enhance
the CACNT’s Medical Services response to pediatric Sexual Assault Nurse Exams and application for FY
2022 Improving Criminal Justice Response (ICJR) Grant Program; and
WHEREAS the Partners have entered into this agreement with the Advocacy Center to provide a letter of
support for the FY 2022 ICJR Grant Program. The Advocacy Center and Partners agree to collaborate on
the implementation of the project, should it be selected for funding; and
WHEREAS Advocacy Center will be the lead agency and named applicant and the Partners will be partners
in this application; and
WHEREAS, the Advocacy Center, and the Partners have historically entered into yearly Memorandums of
Understanding setting forth the services to be provided by the Advocacy Center to the partners and plan
to continue to do so upon the expiration of the current Memorandum of Understanding..
I) Partner Agency Information
1) Advocacy Center is the only agency in Denton, Wise, and Jack counties where a victim of felony
level child abuse can be interviewed and recorded for law enforcement, be prepared for trial, obtain victim
assistance from family advocates that help to have barriers to receiving care removed, receive a pediatric
sexual assault or head-to-toe medical exam, and receive evidence-based trauma-informed counseling –
all under one roof. Under Texas Family Code (264.405) a Children’s Advocacy Center shall “coordinate the
activities of participating agencies relating to abuse and neglect investigations and delivery of services to
alleged abuse and neglect victims and their families" and shall provide "access to specialized medical
evaluations and treatment services for victims of alleged abuse or neglect." The Advocacy Center has
established a Medical Services program staffed by a Director of Medical Services who is a SANE-certified
Pediatric Nurse Practitioner and a part-time RN who is also SANE certified. The Advocacy Center will
provide acute and non-acute SANE exams in both the headquarters office (in Lewisville) and a satellite
office (in Denton). The Director of Medical Services will serve as site coordinator if funds are awarded.
2) Denton, through the City Council’s financial support of the Advocacy Center and the
memorandum of understanding the Denton’ signed with the Advocacy Center for Multi-Disciplinary Team
Investigative Protocols, is one of the 60 partner agencies that ensures the Advocacy Center provides
critical, no-cost victim services to child victims and non-offending family members to facilitate the healing
process and to reduce the trauma of abuse. The city supports the Advocacy Center’s enhancement of their
medical services program in Denton to ensure that children aged 11 and older receive specialized medical
evaluations and treatment services for child victims of sexual assault
3) Lewisville, through the City Council’s financial support of the Advocacy Center and the
memorandum of understanding the Lewisville’s Police Department signed with the Advocacy Center for
Multi-Disciplinary Team Investigative Protocols, is one of the 60 partner agencies that ensures the
Advocacy Center provides critical, no-cost victim services to child victims and non-offending family
members to facilitate the healing process and to reduce the trauma of abuse. The city supports the
Advocacy Center’s enhancement of their medical services program in the Lewisville office to ensure that
children aged 11 and older receive specialized medical evaluations and treatment services for child victims
of sexual assault.
III) Commitment to Partnership
1) The service area includes all of Denton County, all of Wise County, and all of Jack County, Texas. In
addition, the Advocacy Center will provide medical services for cases brought to us as part of an out-of-
county investigation.
2) Denton and Lewisville agree to collaborate with and provide support for the Advocacy Center to
continue providing specialized medical services to victims of sexual assault pursuant to the program
narrative of the grant application attached to this agreement.
3) As partners, Denton and Lewisville, will not receive compensation for this project. The OVW budget
detail worksheet will indicate sources of income and expenses.
4) We, the undersigned, have read and agree with this Application Partnership Agreement. Further, we
have reviewed the proposed project and proposed budget, and have approved it.
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Kristen Howell, CEO
APPROVED AS TO LEGAL FORM:
Mack Reinwand, City Attorney
Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas City of Denton, Texas
Date 04/26/2022
By @meG/r.\C@h„P
Claire Powell, City Manager
City of Lewisville, Texas ArrEST:
Date 04/26/2022 Rosa Rios, City Secretary
By &c W„rg.
City of Denton, Texas
Date: Z2£
Sara Hensley, City Manager By: 04/27/2022
City of Denton, Texas
Date 04/26/2022
City Manager’s Office
215 E. McKinney St., Denton, TX 76201 • (940) 349-8307DENTON
April 25, 2022
Director
OSice on \aolence Against Women145 N Sa,et, NESuite 10 W.121
Washington, DC 20530
Re: Improving Criminal Justice Responses Prog'am CertifIcation of Eligibility
Dear Directors
In accordance with 34 U.S.C. Section 10461(c), Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas is eligible to
apply for funding under solicitation O-OVW-2022- 171037 as a victim service provider partnering with a
unit of local government. The Advocacy Center is applying under Priority Area #3: Strengthen eRorts to
prevent and end sexual assaull including victim services and civil and criminal justice responses. The
Denton County District Attorney is a partner agency.
When a crime of child abuse occurs, a family is in crisis. Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas (the
“Advwacy Center”) is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization celebrating its 25th anniversary of collaboratingon more than 25,000 child abuse cases across its service area of Denton County, Wise County, and Jack
County. It is the only agency in these counties where a child abuse victim can be interviewed and recorded
for law enforcement, be prepared for trial, obtain victim assistance from family advocates that help to have
barriers to receiving care removed, receive a pediatric sexual assault or head-tbtoe medical exam, and
receive evidence-based trauma-informed counseling -- all under one roof. The Multi-l)isciplinary Team
partners with 5 prosecutorial teams, 50 law enforcement jurisdictions, two regions of the Texas Department
of Family and Protective Services (DFPS), four hospitals, and Advocacy Center staR collaborate to serve
child victims aged &17 and their non-oRending family members.
In 2020, the Advocacy Center’s caseload rose 19% and in 2021, the number of statewide intake reports
made to the State Child Abuse Hotline, the number of cases meeting criminal criteria, and the number of
forensic interviews all rose by 30%. As the number of forensic interviews increased, the number of clients
needing medical services, victim services, and evidence-based, trauma-informed counseling increased
substantially.
The City of Ihnton, through the City Council’s £nancial support of the Advocacy Center and the
mmromndum of understanding the City signed with the Advocacy Center, is one of the 60 partner agenciesthat ensures the Advocacy Center provides critical, no-cost victim services to child victims and non-
oRending family members to facilitate the healing process and to reduce the trauma of abuse. Child abuse
can occur regardless of gender, socio-economic status, or ethnicity. Child victims of severe abuse are at
high risk for continued trauma, deserving strong and proven interventions that promote resilience and that
allow victims to overcome the impact of abuse.
Denton has supported the Advocacy Center financially since the 1990s and we look forward to our
continuing partnership. In addition to the federal and city funding, we were able to award CDBG-CV
CARES Act funds in CY2020 to oRset some of the rising costs for providing victim services during the
pandemic, but we know the Advocacy Center’s caseload and client numbers will continue rising. In
CY202}, the Advocacy Center provided 3,232 children with 27,943 direct client services, including ZH7
OUR CORE VALUES
Integrity • Fiscal Responsibility • Transparency • Outstanding Customer Service
ADA/EOE/ADEA www.cityofdenton.com TDD (800) 735-2989
City Manager’s Office
215 E. McKinney St., Denton, TX 76201 • (940) 349mDETTON
Denton kids with 4,281 services. This represents a 33% increase agency-wide since 2019, indicating the
negative impact of the pandemic on families. Based on the record-breaking two years, the Advocacy Center
has experienced, and the 50% increase in services provided during those years, the Advocacy Center
anticipates helping an additional 100 Denton children in CY2022 (increasing its services to 550 Dentmkids)
As City Manager of the City of Denton, I submit this letter to certify to the following:
1. Under Texas Family Code (2@1.405) a Children’s Advocacy Center shall “coordinate the activities of
participating agencies relating to abuse and neglect investigations and delivery of services to alleged abuse
and neglect victims and their families” and shall provide “access to specialized medical evaluations and
treatment services for victims of alleged abuse or neglect.”
2. The Advocacy Center provides a facility at which the Multi-Disciplinary Team ('qWDT’) can meet,
achieving a systmic response ensuring interagency collaboration with a focus of reducing trauma to
children and families, improving services, and preserving and respecting the rights and obligations of each
partner agency to pursue their respective mandates. Through interagency collaboration and coordination of
the team, the MDT facilitates the emcient and appropriate disposition of a case both criminally and civilly.
3 . Each of the partner agencies has specific responsibilities with regard to the investigation, prosecution,
medical and therapeutic treatment of cases of child abuse and child fatality investigations. Together, we
commit to the multidisciplinary team approach through the Children’s Advocacy Center for North Texas
and acknowledge it will serve to enhance the individual efforts of each agency and will unify our community
in the daily work of ensuring the protection of the children of Denton County, Wise County, and Jack
County
4. The o#icial laws, poHcia, and practices of the City of Denton meets the criteria listed under 34 U.S.C
Section 10461(c) and that the City and the Police Department follows the laws of the State of Texas and the
federal government regarding the investigation and prosecution of child sexual assault.
Sara Hensley
City Manager
City of Denton
2OUR CORE VALUES
Integrity • Fiscal Responsnility • Transpumcv • C)utstandhg Customer Service
ADA/EO£/ADm www.cityofdenton.com TDD (800) 735-2989