Award Letter - ACFAN OSBP ARPA Project Award 2023

City of Glendale — Regular Meeting (2023-06-13)

Extracted text (via ocr_local) 13680 characters

AmIZOWA CHILO & FAMILY
ADVOCACY NETWORK

A Network of

GR-ARPA-ACFAN-090122-01
OSBP ARPA PROJECT

May 12, 2023
Melissa Brickhouse Thomas
Glendale Family Advocacy Center

RE: GR-ARPA-ACFAN-090122-01 OSBP ARPA PROJECT -Notification of Award
Dear Ms. Thomas:

On behalf of the Arizona Child Family Advocacy Network, I pleased to notify you that our
office has completed its evaluation of the sub-award grant applications received in response to
GR-ARPA-ACFAN-090122-01 OSBP ARPA PROJECT. The evaluation was done in
accordance to the criteria established in the Request for Grant Application (RFGA).

[am pleased to announce that Glendale Family Advocacy Center has been awarded a grant.
Based upon numbers submitted on behalf of your organization, Glendale Family Advocacy
Center will be provided mental health funds in the total amount of $72,151.77. The breakdown is
as follows: $38,151.77 allocated for victims for mental health services for children and family
and $34,000.00 allocated for mental health services for staff. This is based off of your services
provided to victims in calendar years 2021.

Your program contact the Arizona Child Family Advocacy Network will be Trevor Umphress,
Executive Director, at 928-750-3583 or to trevor@acfan.net. If you have any questions please
reach out directly to him. Reports will be due by March 29th showcasing how the funds were
spent and how they benefited the victims served and your staff. Reports will be sent out at a later
time.

On behalf of the Arizona Child Family Advocacy Network, we appreciate the time and effort
you spent responding and submitting a proposal to this solicitation. Providing support services to
our most vulnerable victims is important work, and we look forward to continuing to work with
your organization in the near future. If there is anything else we can do in the meantime, please
let us know.

Lisa Anca

Lisa Andrus

Boar Chair

Arizona Child & Family Advocacy Network
P.O Box 4041, Yuma Arizona 85366

GR-ARPA-ACFAN-090122-01
OSBP ARPA PROJECT

A)Purpose:

Arizona Child & Family Advocacy Centers Executive Summary. Family and Child Advocacy
Centers provide a coordinated, evidence-based response to victims who have been abused
through a multidisciplinary team approach via colocation facilities. To improve and expand
comprehensive advocacy, treatment, identifications, support and services for victims of abuse in
urban, rural, under-served communities in Arizona including tribal lands there have been twenty
four facilities established to serve all 15 counties. Multidisciplinary teams consist of the
following: Advocacy Center, Law Enforcement, Department of Child Safety, Prosecution,
Forensic Interview, Medical, Mental Health, Victim Advocacy, and Community Partners. These
facilities provide healing, justice, and trust for victims, while assisting them on their journey from
victim to survivor. The data sheets provided demonstrate that there was a substantial increase in
services provided in 2020 compared to 2019 with an increase of 5,665 victims served via the
Child & Family Advocacy Centers across the state. This increase took place during the pandemic
our state and nation was facing and continues to face. The Advocacy Center model is designed
to reduce trauma and speed healing for children and families. Everything about the model is
victim-centered and trauma-informed, and the use of the multidisciplinary team integrated
approach gathers law enforcement investigators, child welfare, service providers, and
prosecutors tonsure all services are designed to support long-term healing.

Mental Health Supports for Children and Families Advocacy Centers follow evidence-based
standards for the mental health services they provide. These services are provided by
professionals with training in, and who deliver, trauma-focused, evidence-supported, mental
health treatment. Evidence-supported, trauma-focused mental health services are consistently
available for clients regardless of ability to pay. MOU’s or written protocols/guidelines define
the role and responsibility of the mental health professionals with regards to the victim. Through
your support in this project Family and Child Advocacy centers can ensure these best practices
are being met and that all victims across the state whether it be urban, rural, under-served
communities and tribal lands receive the same high quality services.

Mental health support for professionals suffering vicarious trauma. Staff at Advocacy
Centers and their partners in law enforcement, child welfare, social services, and prosecution are
on the front lines of the worst cases of child abuse and domestic violence. While conducting the
necessary steps of a criminal investigation, these dedicated professionals absorb the pain of their
clients and become exposed to vicarious trauma. Vicarious trauma is an occupational challenge
that our team members face and continue to face day by day due to their continuous exposure to
victims of trauma and violence. Responses to vicarious trauma can be negative, neutral, or
positive, can change over time; and can vary from individual to individual, particularly with
prolonged exposure. Compassion fatigue and burnout are two common concerns that are seen in
our field and symptoms can become debilitating if left untreated. For this purpose we
recommend the following as examples that would permit Arizona’s Child & Family Advocacy
Centers to address this concern.

Mental health support for professionals can be provided at the individual or organizational level.
Individual Level Interventions focus on enhancement of self-consciousness to recognize

symptoms. Coping style and self-care have significant impacts, as do specific therapeutic
interventions, such as Cognitive behavioral therapy or Stress Inoculation Training.
Professional/Organizational Level Interventions can complement and enhance individual
interventions. The provision of supervision, workshops, and a supportive organizational culture
have significant impacts, as do specific formal interventions, such as Vicarious resiliency
training, Psychoeducational seminars, and debriefing interventions. Through your support in this
project Child & Family Advocacy centers can ensure these essential front line workers receive
the care they need.

Description of Services:
Funding$550,000/$450,000 ARPA Allocation for Mental Health Services for Children, Families

and Staff. To qualify for funding centers must annually certify to statewide nonprofit Arizona
Child and Family Advocacy Network (ACFAN) in which is accredited by a national

organization that is organized to promote multidisciplinary team approach with regards to abuse
investigation and prosecution at child and family advocacy center and is a member of or
affiliated with an state wide organization ACFAN that has set core standards for best practices of
a child and family advocacy center that the center meets all of the following:

(a) Maintains and provides services at a neutral facility that is focused on victims and that
allows:

(i) Evidence-based forensic interviews by a trained forensic interviewer of victims

or witnesses of one or more suspected offenses.

(ii) Interaction with a victim as investigative or treatment needs or victim services

require.
(b) Has a multidisciplinary case review team that meets ona regular basis and that consists of
members who are appropriate for serving a victim of a suspected offense. Membership of the
team may
include:

(i) A representative of the department.

(ii) A representative of the county attorney.

(iii) A mental health service provider.

(iv) A representative of law enforcement.

(v) A victim advocate.

(vi) A forensic medical professional.

(vii) A forensic interviewer.

$550,000 will be allocated for victims for mental health services for children and family,
$450,000 will be allocated for mental health services for staff. The statewide nonprofit agency
administering the funds to the centers may use up to ten percent of the monies in the fund for
administrative costs and shall distribute the remainder of the fund monies to child and family
advocacy centers that apply for funding and certify on a form provided by statewide nonprofit
that the centers meet the requirements as describe above. The statewide agency shall distribute
the remainder as follows:

A) $550,000 will be allocated for victims for mental health served at the child and family
centers Forty-five percent equally among the child and family advocacy centers that meet the
qualifications prescribed in this subsection Forty-five percent to the child and family advocacy

centers that meet the qualifications prescribed in this subsection based on each center's
proportion of all victims served.

B) $450,000 will be allocated for mental health services for staff that work at the child and
family centers. Forty-five percent equally among the child and family advocacy centers that meet
the qualifications prescribed in this subsection. Forty-five percent to the child and family
advocacy centers that meet the qualifications prescribed in this subsection based on each center's
proportion of all employees of the child and family advocacy center.

Funding Formula:

Ten percent to a statewide membership organization that sets core standards for best practices
and provides support and training to emerging and existing child and family advocacy centers
and multidisciplinary teams, and oversees the distribution of funding and reports for the grant
process.

Performance Metrics (impact of/outcome from the funding)

Performance Metrics for Mental Health Supports for Children and Families

a) With the funding provided by this OSPB ARPA project additional victims of Family/Intimate
Partner Violence and Sexual Assault will have the ability to receive Mental Health Services from
one of the twenty four Child & Family Advocacy Centers located across the state.

© Will provide an additional Mental Health Services to victims of Child Abuse (Physical,
Neglect) that request services to their families.

© Will provide an additional Mental Health Services to victims of Child Sexual Abuse that
request services and to their families.

0 Will provide an additional Mental Health Services to victims of Domestic Violence (DV)
that request services.

b) Using Outcome Measurement System (OMS) which is a standardized, research-based set of
Surveys designed to measure Child and Family Advocacy Center’s (CAC)/(FAC) performance
based on feedback from families and multidisciplinary team (MDT) members. We will see a
success rate and growth, from our current rate with regards to addressing victims of
Family/Intimate Partner Violence and Sexual Assault in the following categories.

I believe my child or myself felt safe at the Center.

The Center staff made sure I understood the reason Jor our visit to the Center.

I was given information about the services and programs provided by the Center.

My questions were answered to my satisfaction.

The process for the interview of my child or myself at the center was clearly explained to

me,

o Iwas given information about possible behaviors I might expect from my child, family
member or myself in the days and weeks ahead.

child, family member or myself,

oo0ooo0o0

© The Center staff provided me with resources to support my child, Jamily or myself to
respond to the needs in the days and weeks ahead.

© Someone at the Center gave you information about how to get services like counseling or
family support for your child, family member or yourself.

Performance Metrics Mental health support for professionals suffering vicarious trauma.
© Will provide Mental Health Services to staff at CAC/FAC.
o Will provide an additional Mental Health Services to Multidisciplinary Team Partners.
o Team members willingly feel they can share information in a safe environment.
© Team members feel they can request or provide input during forensic interview
process.
The Center provides me with resources to support my mental health needs.
Members of the multidisciplinary team demonstrate respect for the perspectives
and informational needs of other team members.
© Team meetings are a productive use of my time.
o My supervisor/agency is supportive of the work of the multidisciplinary team.
© The Center provides an environment where I feel safe expressing my concerns or making
suggestions about the functioning of the multidisciplinary team.
© Jam able to speak honestly about issues that affect me in the workplace?

Each center will have the ability to a put forth a mental health program to meet their needs
(surveys links will be sent to all Executive Directors to share with their core staff at all centers
and will be 100% will be anonymous) For that purpose survey’s will be administered to all
centers pre/post funding to address:

i. Mental Well Being

ii. Stress Level

tii. Vicarious Trauma

iv. Fatigue

v. Burnout

vi. How they feel this funding will improved the Mental Health of staff through its
implementation.

vii. How has this funding improved the Mental Health of staff through its
implementation.

*For additional guidance please see National Children’s Alliance evidence-based interventions,
best practice standards, or putting standards into practice for assistance with creations of your
mental health program.