D.V.Minority Services Meeting Minutes

July 24, 2001

MINUTES

Present: Oudy Acosta Perez, Steve Boyer, Tim Drury, Johanna Hansen Keller, David Lewis, Joyce E. Showalter Figueroa.

Summary of Topics Discussed

  • · Oudy Acosta Perez will be doing consulting work at the new "El Centro de la Familia" ("The Family Center") located at the Neighborhood Christian Center, 1007 Fifth Street, Bremerton for Hispanic victims. While the services available will be provided in Spanish, Oudy will be teaching them basic sentences in English (what their name, address, and telephone is, etc.), helping them with completing the N.C.O. paperwork, and as a paid social worker for a few hours (11:00 AM - 2:00 PM) due to money constraints. She will be getting a pager in the near future.
  • · Johanna Hansen Keller stated that the "El Centro de la Familia" would be opening for business on August 13, 2001. This is a joint effort between the Kitsap County Health Department, and the March of Dimes. She said that the site for the "El Centro de la Familia" was chosen because of the location because it is both within walking distance, and on the bus route. There will also be childcare services available to the victims during services.
  • · The following cities/state already have this type of program currently up and running successfully: Sedro Wooley, Yakima, Oregon (Hope House).
  • · The Y.W.C.A. currently do not have any Spanish speaking staff, and they are aware of the growing need for it.
  • · Tim Drury suggested that the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner be contacted so that they are aware of the Hispanic resources that are available.
  • · Oudy Acosta Perez stated that the Bremerton Police Department/Martin Knott is on board with the flyers. With the help of Kitsap County Deputy Sheriff Benny Meyers, Oudy will be taken around to the other law enforcement agencies (Port Orchard Police Department, and Poulsbo Police Department) to get them onboard with utilizing the flyers also. The Kitsap County District Court office(s) will handing out the Hispanic Services handouts, and the Hispanic Safety Plan brochures as needed. Oudy has already passed the flyers out to the local Mexican restaurants so they can start getting them out into the community.
  • · The first scheduled "Alcohol Drug, Domestic Violence and the Court" or ADVC for short is now in progress for Hispanic defendants, and the turnout was very good. The small structured group appointment lasts an (1½ hours) hour and a half, with the defendant's involved participating and/or sharing with the rest of the group. The staff was pretty much on the mark when it came to how defendants are getting these types of charges (they are either drinking at home, or their friends home), and at the end of the appointment, they wanted to know when the next group appointment was! This program is both taking the place of, and covering the following Court requirements: Domestic Violence Information Panel, Driving Under the Influence information, and a regular scheduled Probation appointment.
  • · Stated that the overall Hispanic death rate is 20% higher than other cultures. This figure is contributed to the following factors: no health insurance, illegal status, poor work conditions/pesticides in the fields; and being afraid of deportation.
  • · Kitsap County Sheriff Steve Boyer stated that some of the problem(s) that law enforcement is having with the Hispanic brush pickers is that they do not speak English, do not have any identification, or have individual permits. He said that he is in the process of working closely with a King County newspaper reporter from The Independent regarding featuring a story about Hispanics in Kitsap County. He invited Oudy Acosta Perez to join him in this meeting; she referred him to Kitsap County District Court Probation Administrator Dayle Crane for further action.

Decisions Reached

  • · The next Domestic Violence Minority Meeting will be held on October 23, 2001 @ 2:00 PM in the Public Works Building in the first floor conference room.
  • · Oudy Acosta Perez will be contacting the Prosecuting Attorney's office to see about getting copies of their forms for translation into Spanish.
  • · We voted to request financial assistance from the Kitsap County Domestic Violence Task Force to print flyers and business cards - the vote passed.
  • · The problem was raised of translators being appointed to minority defendants that may not really need them, while minority victims do not have the same option of having a translator at their disposal to testify for them in Court.
  • · Tim Drury said that he would put Oudy Acosta Perez in contact with Kelly Pellon from his office.

Action Items

1. Even though we have been accepted under the umbrella for the Domestic Violence Task Force, and will request a donation to be used for expenses (printing, snacks, juice, etc), Joyce E. Showalter Figueroa said that she would be contacting Ricoh Business Systems to see if they would be interested in donating the printing of our flyers.

2. We have been invited to set up a table for (2) two days, for this year's D.V. Conference in October. Suggestions?

3. Oudy Acosta Perez asked Tim Drury if he would be the guest speaker at this year's Drug Conference on September 13th and 14th. He said that he would ask Jeff Jahns if he would consider speaking instead, and get back to us.

4. Both Oudy Acosta Perez, and Johanna Hansen Keller have taken the first part of the State Interpreter's Test. They are trying to provide services, and are looking for other minorities to provide the same.

Meeting adjourned.

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