09-27-2023 Council Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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MINUTES CITY COUNCIL SEPTEMBER 27, 2023 Jennifer Dickinson, Tubman, explained how their legal advocacy services work and how that would apply to residents of Little Canada. She explained that the organization works with victims of violence, trafficking, etc. She stated that one of their main programs is their legal programs, noting that they provide advocacy in three counties and reviewed some of the legal services that they assist with. She noted that tonight she will focus on legal advocacy services in Little Canada, providing details on how they work with the Sheriff to identify those that may need assistance; how they offer assistance, services, and safety planning; and work with victims until their case is resolved. She stated that cases have become more complex and provided more details. She commented that funding has been very difficult and therefore they have started to visit the cities they serve to explain how this lack of funding could impact their ability to serve the community. She commented that the advocate serving the Little Canada area is present tonight and has received permission from a client she has served to provide details on that process. Emily Barnhill, Advocate for Little Canada, commented that she has served this area for the past three years. She noted that she received permission from a Little Canada resident that she has worked with for some time to share her story. She explained how the domestic violence incident triggered their services, noting that the resident utilized the shelter resource to get to a safe place after the incident. She stated that they worked together from the time of that incident in fall of 2021 through February of 2023. She noted that there were 55 cases in 2022 and those have a larger lifespan than just the one case on paper. She noted that the one incident of domestic violence became four criminal violations in this jurisdiction. She commented that they not only assist with court services but also connect the victim with a wide range of services that are available, providing details. She explained that in this instance, the domestic incident triggered the removal of the abuser from the home, noting that was the primary income for the family as well, therefore she was able to connect the victim to the network of social services. She explained the work that she was able to do with the victim to protect herself and her children and provide security, both immediately and for the long term. She commented that they focus on sustainability because it is a complicated issue, and it is not easy to leave situations of abuse when there are other factors in play such as children and finances. 'She commented that they were also able to provide gift cards for groceries and were able to provide gift baskets during the holidays. She stated that during that 1.5 years of this case, there were 51 points of contact with this client, 31 on behalf of contacts, three civil hearings attended, and 25 criminal hearings attended. She noted that those are just numbers for the services received by one Little Canada resident and a story of success where this resident was able to leave that situation and become successful. T. Miller commented that there is not any funding received from Ramsey County and asked if they have approached Commissioner McGuire, as she believes that Commissioner would advocate on their behalf for funding. She commented that she believes the organization should be receiving some funding from Ramsey County. Ms. Dickinson agreed noting that they used to receive some funding Ramsey County but the last time that was received was over three years ago. She stated that Ramsey County does have an RFP for domestic violence services, which they applied for and were granted $15,000 per year, but the focus then changed designating that funding for emergency housing support. She noted the remainder of that funding was allocated to an entity in Saint Paul. She stated that she would love to reach out to Commissioners, or any connections that could be made as she has not had success. She stated that 10