Broward County Commission Regular Meeting
Director's Name: Tara Williams
Department: Human Services Division: Crisis Intervention & Support
Information
Requested Action
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MOTION TO APPROVE Memorandum of Understanding (“MOU”) between The GEO Group, Inc., and Broward County, effective from the date of full execution for five years, for Broward County’s Nancy J. Cotterman Center to provide confidential emotional support, therapy services and forensic medical examinations to persons housed at the Broward Transitional Center who are survivors of sexual abuse; authorize the Mayor and Clerk to execute same; authorize the County Administrator to renew the MOU for up to five additional years and execute amendments to the MOU that do not materially modify the County’s obligations under the MOU, subject to review for legal sufficiency by the Office of the County Attorney; and authorize the County Administrator to take all necessary administrative actions to implement the MOU.
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Why Action is Necessary
Broward County Board of County Commissioners (“Commission”) approval is required for agreements with external agencies.
What Action Accomplishes
Approval of the Motion enables Broward County, through the Nancy J. Cotterman Center (“NJCC”), to collaborate with The GEO Group, Inc. (“GEO”) to provide persons housed at the Broward Transitional Center (“BTC”) who are survivors of sexual abuse (“Housed Survivor”) with access to confidential emotional support, therapy services, and forensic medical examinations.
Is this Action Goal Related
Yes
Previous Action Taken
None
Summary Explanation/Background
THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND THE CRISIS INTERVENTION AND SUPPORT DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTION.
This action supports the Commission’s value of “building partnerships and working collaboratively with others to meet shared objectives”, and the goal of “delivering accessible human services that holistically address the whole person collaboratively and compassionately”. Collaboration with GEO allows NJCC to respond to the BTC or the appropriate hospital facility in Broward County to provide confidential emotional support, therapy services and forensic medical examinations to Housed Survivors. The MOU also makes provision for Housed Survivors to receive crisis intervention services, information, and referrals, confidential access to NJCC’s 24-hour Sexual Assault Helpline, follow-up services, and connection to an NJCC sexual assault advocate to accompany and support the Housed Survivors through the forensic medical examination process and investigatory interviews.
GEO operates the BTC, an immigration facility for short-term non-criminal and low-security housed persons. The framework created by the MOU facilitates GEO’s compliance with the Prison Rape Elimination Act National Standards (“National Standards”), Part 115 of Title 28 of the Code of Federal Regulations, as required by the Prison Rape Elimination Act of 2003. The National Standards require that jail facilities provide housed persons victimized by sexual abuse with timely, unimpeded access to emergency medical treatment, forensic medical examinations, and crisis intervention services where medically or evidentiarily appropriate.
GEO will pay Broward County for the initial forensic medical examination of a Housed Survivor performed by a sexual assault nurse examiner at the cost of $1,000 or the rate established by Florida Statutes, whichever is higher, and $130 for each unit of therapy (one unit of therapy is approximately 45-50 minutes).
The MOU has been approved as to form by the Office of the County Attorney. A copy of the MOU is attached as Exhibit 1.
Source of Additional Information
Carol Cook, Director, Crisis Intervention and Support Division, 954-357-9590
Ana Ferrer, Human Services Administrator, Nancy J. Cotterman Center, 954-357-5765
Fiscal Impact
Fiscal Impact/Cost Summary
Broward County will be reimbursed by GEO at a rate of $1,000 or the rate established by Florida Statutes, whichever is higher, for the initial forensic medical examination and at a rate of $130 for each unit of therapy provided to a Housed Survivor.