Community Advocates For Family & Youth

SERVING ABUSED FAMILIES AND PREVENTING FUTURE VIOLENCE PROGRAM (SAFFUTURES)

THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING ASSISTANCE GRANTS FOR VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING PROGRAM (TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM) IS AUTHORIZED BY 34 U.S.C. 12351. THE PRIMARY PURPOSE OF THE TRANSITIONAL HOUSING PROGRAM IS TO PROVIDE AID TO VICTIMS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, AND STALKING WHO ARE HOMELESS, AS DEFINED BY 34 U.S.C. 12473(6), OR IN NEED OF TRANSITIONAL HOUSING OR OTHER HOUSING ASSISTANCE, AS A RESULT OF THEIR VICTIMIZATION, AND FOR WHOM EMERGENCY SHELTER SERVICES OR OTHER CRISIS INTERVENTION SERVICES ARE UNAVAILABLE OR INSUFFICIENT. THE PROGRAM SUPPORTS HOLISTIC, SURVIVOR-CENTERED APPROACHES TO PROVIDING TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND SUPPORT SERVICES THAT MOVE INDIVIDUALS INTO PERMANENT HOUSING AND HELP THEM SECURE EMPLOYMENT AND INTEGRATE INTO A COMMUNITY. THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATES FOR FAMILY & YOUTH, INC. IS A NON-PROFIT ORGANIZATION LOCATED IN CAPITAL HEIGHTS, MARYLAND, AN URBAN REGION OF THE STATE. THE ORGANIZATION WILL PROVIDE SCATTERED SITE RESIDENCES FOR 9 SURVIVORS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH PRIVATE LANDLORD HOUSING UNITS. THE COMMUNITY ADVOCATES FOR FAMILY & YOUTH, INC. WILL COLLABORATE WITH ITS 2 PARTNER(S), THE PRINCE GEORGE'S COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF FAMILY SERVICES (DFS), AND REAL ESTATE PROFESSIONAL WITH EXIT COMMUNITY REALTY: FLORETTA MARJORIE LAWSON, TO PROVIDE A HOLISTIC, VICTIM-CENTERED AND MULTIDISCIPLINARY APPROACH TO TRANSITIONAL HOUSING NEEDS IN THE COMMUNITY. THIS NEW PROJECT WILL USE FUNDS TO PROVIDE BOTH HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES TO MOVE SURVIVORS OF DOMESTIC VIOLENCE, DATING VIOLENCE, SEXUAL ASSAULT, OR STALKING WHO ARE HOMELESS OR IN NEED OF HOUSING ASSISTANCE TO PERMANENT HOUSING. THE PROJECT WILL ASSIST CLIENTS FOR AN ANTICIPATED MINIMUM OF 12 MONTHS AND A MAXIMUM LENGTH OF 24 MONTHS. THE GRANT ACTIVITIES WILL BE TAILORED TO MEET THE NEEDS OF THE SURVIVORS. THE RANGE OF OPTIONAL SUPPORT SERVICES INCLUDES RENTAL AND UTILITY ASSISTANCE, CASE MANAGEMENT, SAFETY PLANNING, CHILDCARE, TRANSPORTATION, FINANCIAL LITERACY TRAINING, SUPPORT GROUPS, INDIVIDUAL COUNSELING, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT AND HOUSING ADVOCACY. THE PROJECT WILL ALSO HIRE 1 ADDITIONAL STAFF MEMBER TO IMPLEMENT THE PROGRAM AND PROVIDE FOLLOW-UP SERVICES FOR AT LEAST 12 MONTHS ONCE PERMANENT HOUSING IS SECURED.

FY2021 FVPSA ARP ACT SUPPLEMENTAL

COMMUNITY ADVOCATES FOR FAMILY &YOUTH (CAFY) REQUESTS FUNDING TO ESTABLISH AN ENHANCED MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM UNDER THE  HOLISTIC APPROACH LEADING  TO TRANSFORMATION- ELDER ABUSE HALT-EA PROJECT THAT WILL PROVIDE MULTI-FACETED CASE REVIEWS AND COORDINATE ACTIONS TO BETTER ASSIST OLDER VICTIMS OF FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE WITHIN PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY, MD. PRINCE GEORGE’S IS A HEAVILY-POPULATED COUNTY THAT EXPERIENCES CRIME RATES AT FAR HIGHER LEVELS THAN SURROUNDING JURISDICTIONS, AND ALSO HAS A SIGNIFICANT SENIOR-AGED POPULATION THAT HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN TARGETS OF FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION AND ABUSE. IN 2015, THE COUNTY WAS SELECTED AS ONE OF SIX JURISDICTIONS IN THE UNITED STATES TO PILOT THE DEMENTIA-FRIENDLY AMERICA INITIATIVE, A PROGRAM THAT UNITES SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, CHURCHES, BUSINESSES AND OTHER INSTITUTIONS TO IMPROVE THE QUALITY OF LIFE FOR SENIORS AND THEIR CAREGIVERS THROUGH SERVICE AND EDUCATION PROGRAMMING. PARTNERS FROM THIS INITIATIVE WILL ALSO BECOME PART OF THE ENHANCED MULTI-DISCIPLINARY TEAM. THE OVERARCHING GOAL OF THE GRANT IS TO UNITE MULTIPLE SERVICE ORGANIZATIONS, GOVERNMENT AGENCIES, MEDICAL PERSONNEL, FORENSIC ACCOUNTANTS, AND LAW ENFORCEMENT INVESTIGATORS AND PROSECUTORS INTO AN ORGANIZED AND ACTIVE ENHANCED MULTIDISCIPLINARY TEAM THAT CAN ENGAGE AND COORDINATE REGULARLY TO EVALUATE BOTH RECENTLY-REPORTED CASES UNDER INVESTIGATION OR SUSTAINED, AS WELL AS OTHER CASES CONSIDERED LONGSTANDING AND UNRESOLVED INCIDENTS WHERE OLDER VICTIMS ARE BEING ABUSED, NEGLECTED OR FINANCIALLY EXPLOITED. THE E-MDT WILL REGULARLY REVIEW AND DISCUSS EACH INDIVIDUAL, AND THEN COORDINATE AN ARRAY OF LONG-TERM HOLISTIC SERVICES THAT ARE VICTIM-CENTERED AND CONSIDER SPECIFIC NEEDS AND CIRCUMSTANCES OF EACH SUBJECT, WHILE ALSO ADVANCING THE ABILITY TO PROSECUTE PERPETRATORS AND REDUCE FURTHER TRAUMATIZATION OF OLDER SURVIVORS INVOLVED IN THE CRIMINAL JUSTICE PROCESS. IN ADDITION TO PROVIDING DIRECT SERVICES TO SENIOR VICTIMS OF FINANCIAL FRAUD, ABUSE AND OTHER CRIMES, THE PROJECT WILL ALSO ADAPT A COLLABORATIVE PUBLIC OUTREACH, EDUCATION AND COMMUNITY REFERRAL PROGRAM CREATED IN PARTNERSHIP WITH PICKETT FENCES SENIOR SERVICES AND THE DEMENTIA FRIENDLY AMERICA-PRINCE GEORGE’S INITIATIVE, WHERE PARTNERS WILL HOST EIGHT WORKSHOPS AND FOUR COMMUNITY EVENTS/FORUMS HELPING SENIORS DURING THE THREE-YEAR GRANT PERIOD AND CREATE A PROACTIVE OUTREACH CAMPAIGN WHERE CAREGIVERS, NEIGHBORS AND SENIORS THEMSELVES CAN SIGN UP FOR HELP TO PROTECT VULNERABLE ADULTS AGAINST POTENTIAL FINANCIAL FRAUD, ABUSE AND OTHER HARM.  WE ESTIMATE THAT OUR OUTREACH EVENTS WILL REACH APPROXIMATELY 500 OR MORE SENIORS IN PRINCE GEORGE’S COUNTY EVERY YEAR, AND FURTHER WILL CREATE A NETWORK OF REFERRAL PATHWAYS THAT WILL ALLOW THE ORGANIZATIONS TO OFFER PROACTIVE RISK ASSESSMENTS AND OTHER SERVICES TO APPROXIMATELY 200 SENIORS DEEMED AT HIGH RISK OF FINANCIAL EXPLOITATION OR OTHER KINDS OF ABUSE. WE BELIEVE THAT THAT WITH THE IMPLEMENTATION OF THE PROJECT, WE WILL HAVE INCREASED SAFETY AND AWARENESS OF ELDERS WHO ARE MORE VULNERABLE TOWARDS PHYSICAL, SEXUAL AND/OR FINANCIAL ABUSE