Research

The Community Research Team Recommendations

By Susan Garvey

The Community Research Team (CRT) has recommended that the Women’s Giving Alliance (WGA) fund no new projects in Duval County related to Infant Mortality until results of a study by the Jacksonville Community Council, Inc., (JCCI) are released. Additionally, the team suggests that WGA may want to continue support for the Azalea Project, pending evaluation, and to consider support for the W.I.L.D. Flower Project. Both projects seek to improve infant mortality rates in Northeast Florida.

On transition support for girls Aging Out of the Foster Care System, the CRT recommends continued backing for the “Building Bridges” program (with some modifications) so that more girls can participate in 2009, to expand the staff by adding a transportation coordinator so that enrollees can participate in programs offered to foster care youths, and for training and support of mentors. WGA funded the “Building Bridges” program in 2007 with a one-year grant of $40,000 covering an eight-week pilot program that provided female-specific life-skills training, therapeutic support, and mentoring for two age groups, 13-15, and 16-18. Further, the CRT recommends a pilot “guidance counselor” concept to help girls prepare for their general education diploma, finding a job and preparing for independent living, and to explore offering a Discretionary Grant to Ability Housing for research on what is required to provide affordable housing for these young women.

These recommendations were presented during a March 4 meeting at WJCT by Sandy Cook, CRT chair.

The issue of infant mortality is an acute one in North Florida, where the percentage of children who die before age 1 is among the worst in the United States. The JCCI study, partially funded by a WGA grant of $5,000 and matched by The Community Foundation $5,00 presidential Grant, is a comprehensive assessment of the causes, needs, current program/services and best practices on this issue. The report will be released May 29. Under the aegis of Northeast Florida Healthy Start, the Azalea Project has been operating since January 2008 and provides outreach, education and support services to high-risk women to address issues of substance abuse and other high-risk behaviors that influence birth outcomes. The program promotes self-sufficiency and personal transformation using a comprehensive, multi-generational approach. WGA provided a one-year $38,050 grant.

W.I.L.D. Flower project, a clinic in West St. Augustine offering pre-conception care for women of childbearing age (15-44), is a collaboration of the St. John’s County Health Department, Good Samaritan Health Clinic and the Northeast Florida Healthy Start Coalition. In operation for a year, it is open two afternoons a week and has had more than 500 visits. The project needs support for the salary of a nurse in order to expand its hours and to expand its outreach efforts and establish a volunteer coordinator position. CRT recommends considering support because W.I.L.D. Flower is a cost-effective approach to building a healthy community, has committed partners and staff, and plans to grow and carry on its role.

Foster care in North Florida is so diffuse that pinpointing an accurate number of youths being served is no easy task. The consensus is that there are about 3,000 in Duval County. In Duval, about 35-40 girls will “age out” in a given year. St. John’s, Clay, Baker, and Nassau counties have many fewer girls at this stage. Although youth leave the foster care system when they reach age 18, the CRT learned additional services are available until age 21, including free tuition to any state university and subsidized independent living. Additional services are available until age 23. Indeed, while many services seem to be mandated for foster children, not all are used. This “under-use” of services is due to the large number of disparate agencies covering many counties in a wide geographical area, as well as lack of communication and transportation.

As identified by the CRT, the challenges to be overcome include:

  • High turnover of caseworkers, lack of training and insufficient numbers
  • Lack of accountability
  • Need for more early intervention efforts
  • Funding gaps
  • Difficulty in reaching girls not in-group homes
  • Inconsistent delivery of resources
  • Segmentation of resource delivery
  • Obvious differences in resources available to group homes
  • Significant limitation of counseling resources
  • Most girls are not at grade-level educationally
  • Very limited supply of affordable, appropriate housing for youths 18-23

WGA supports the creation and delivery of a high-impact, integrated set of resources to address the wide range of needs so that girls in the foster care system successfully make the transition to independent living. These resources should include:

  • Life skill training and preparation
  • Therapeutic resources to build resilience and confidence
  • Education resources to fill the gaps that exist
  • Guidance to pursue higher education, job, or career
  • Access to medical care
  • Access to affordable housing
  • A permanent, supportive "family"

What are WGA’s next steps on these recommendations? The Decision Team will recommend the projects to be funded or decide if further evaluation is necessary.

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