January 23, 2001

Present: Oudy Acosta Perez, Bernice Solorzano, Johanna Keller, David Lewis, Debbie Mergan.

Summary of Topics Discussed:

• Johanna Keller is working with the March of Dimes. The Kitsap County Health Department has written a letter of intent for Domestic Violence victim's counseling and perpetrator's treatment.
• Johanna Keller requested current statistics on Hispanics and/or individuals of Hispanic descendant who are involved in the legal system on alcohol/drug or domestic violence charges. She is requesting these statistics in order to support her theory that there is correlation between those charge(s) and domestic violence.
• Oudy Acosta Perez explained to the newest attendee's (Bernice Solorzano and Debbie Mergan) the purpose of the Kitsap County Domestic Violence Minority Meeting(s).
• We have become aware of a new referral source in Pierce County by the name of Carlos Aleman from Casteele, Williams and Associates. He provides the following services in both Spanish and English: chemical dependency evaluations, and treatment; alcohol drug information school; marriage counseling; domestic violence treatment; and mental health evaluations.
• Debbie Mergen mentioned a new translator referral source in Pierce County by the name of Ken White (as a possibility for translating material). Both he, and his wife are both fluent in Spanish.
• Information regarding the Domestic Violence Minority Meeting is currently available online at: www.kcdvtf.org

Decisions Reached

• The next Domestic Violence Minority Meeting will be held on April 24, 2001 @ 2:00 PM in the Public Works Building in the third floor conference room.

Action Items

1. Check on the current status of the certification process for both Joe Barrios, and Joe Raymond - advanced and/or delayed.

2. Update the Domestic Violence Minority Meeting members listing (include address, phone and/or FAX number, and agency/organization) for 2001.

3. Check into getting the statistics results gathered by the Kitsap County Health Department, Kitsap County District Court Probation, Kitsap County Superior Court, and Mason County on Hispanic and/or Hispanic descendant individuals.

4. Check into getting domestic violence brochures in Spanish, and make a listing of what is available.

5. Check into getting a current listing of videos in Spanish, and make a listing of what is available.

6. Check into getting a current listing of Spanish websites, and make a listing of what is available.

7. Check into getting domestic violence speaker for upcoming meetings.

8. Scan the available domestic violence information, and the Columbia Legal Services into the website.

9. Visit other minority domestic violence meetings within the state to gather information, and to network further with Kitsap County.

Meeting adjourned.