Title
An Ordinance amending sections 2-250, 2-251, 2-253 and 2-256 of the Code of Ordinances changing the name to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition, changing the terminology from Domestic Violence to Interpersonal Violence, changing the board membership composition from seven (7) to ten (10) appointed members, deleting the membership requirement of the Director of Sunflower Kids Supervised Visitation Center, and adding the Fayette Friend of the Court, the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Multicultural Affairs Coordinator, the Violence Against Women Act Attorney from the Legal Aid of the Bluegrass, and the Director of the Div. of Family and Youth Services for CHES Solutions Group as ex-officio members. [Dept. of Social Services, Theakston]
Summary
Authorization to amend the Domestic Violence Prevention Board Ordinance, to reflect the new name of the Board to the Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition, to change outdated terminology, and to expand the voting member composition by 3 Ex - Officio members, and 3 At - Large members to allow for more diverse representation. No Budgetary impact. (L0682-19) (Theakston/Ford)
Budgetary Implications [select]: No.
Advance Document Review:
Law: Yes, Completed by Melissa Murphy, 6/13/19
Risk Management: No
Fully Budgeted [select]: N/A
Account Number: N/A
This Fiscal Year Impact: N/A
Annual Impact: N/A
Project:
Activity:
Budget Reference:
Current Balance:
Body
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE LEXINGTON-FAYETTE URBAN COUNTY GOVERNMENT:
Section 1 - That Sections 2-250, 2-251, 2-253 and 2-256 of the Code of Ordinances, Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government, be and hereby is amended to read as follows:
Sec. 2-250. - Created; purpose.
(1) A board is hereby created which shall be known as the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Domestic and Sexual Violence Prevention Coalition, hereinafter referred to as "board."
(2) The board is established for the purpose of coordinating individuals and public and private groups and agencies to develop and facilitate a bRd.-based collaborative community program, the primary goal being prevention of interpersonal violence. The mission of the board is to create a culture of safety and empowered stakeholders through advocacy, education, collaboration, and service coordination for communities impacted by interpersonal violence.
The focus of the board shall encompass the following types of interpersonal violence:
(a) Dating and intimate partner violence;
(b) Sexual violence and exploitation;
(c) Stalking;
(d) Child abuse, neglect, exploitation and/or abduction within the context of intimate partner violence;
(e) Abuse of vulnerable adults within the context of intimate partner violence;
(f) Human Trafficking;
(g) Sexual Harassment;
(h) Any other area of human abuse and/or exploitation that May be identified as a problem by the board.
For purposes of this Ordinance, the terms "violence" and "abuse" include, in addition to physical and sexual violence, the use of threats, financial exploitation, psychological abuse and coercion by one person to dominate, control and/or exploit another person.
The primary objectives of the board shall be:
(a) To develop and facilitate an effective community-wide system of prevention and intervention that is responsive to the needs of victims of interpersonal violence and those they care about;
(b) To identify and coordinate the roles and services of local agencies or offices which provide services to interpersonal violence victims and perpetrators; to facilitate coordination and communication of best practices among community and systems-based agencies;
(c) To monitor, evaluate, and promote the quality and effectiveness of services and protections in the community;
(d) To promote a clear understanding of interpersonal violence, current laws, and resources, available in the community and the impact on the community; and
(e) To serve as a network for information and resource sharing for interpersonal violence issues.
In order to achieve these objectives, the board shall perform a number of functions, including working with other local groups to provide educational and public information programs and seminars to enhance public awareness regarding the issues outlined above and community resources and interventions to prevent victimization; encouraging the development of community programs; providing prevention and intervention program models and consultation to organizations and agencies; accepting Grant funds and donations from public and private sources to fund programs aimed at prevention of interpersonal violence; entering into Contracts with public or private agencies to fulfill requirements of various state or federal laws regarding interpersonal violence; conducting a biennial internal evaluation of the function, responsibilities and performance of the board in order to improve the services provided by the board, and in other ways providing direction and coordination to public and private efforts to achieve a cohesive community response to the issue of interpersonal violence. The board shall utilize trained volunteers and existing community resources whenever practicable in carrying out its purpose.
Sec. 2-251. - Members.
(1) The board shall consist of ten (10) at-large members and twenty-seven (27) ex officio members. The at-large members shall be appointed by the Mayor, subject to confirmation by a majority of the Urban County Council members. The at-large members of the board shall be selected because of their demonstrated knowledge of the prevention, education, crisis intervention and treatment services related to interpersonal violence. Those members shall be representative to the extent practicable of all the following categories: parents, legal community, medical community, professional providers of interpersonal violence services faith community, and volunteers in interpersonal violence services, especially preventive services. At-large members shall serve a term of four (4) years from the date of appointment, provided that the terms of those originally appointed shall be staggered in the manner required by section 7.02 of the Urban County Charter. Vacancies shall be filled for an unexpired term in the manner prescribed for the original appointment.
(2) The ex officio members shall consist of the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Chief of Police; the Director of Lexington-Fayette Urban County Division of Adult and Tenant Services; an Urban County Council member designated by the Mayor; the Commissioner of Public Safety; the commissioner of social services; the Director of the Family Care Center; the Director of the Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Program; the Fayette County Commonwealth's Attorney; the Fayette County Attorney; the Fayette Circuit Court Clerk; the Fayette District Court Chief Judge; the Fayette Family Court Chief Judge; the Office of the Fayette County Sheriff; the University of Kentucky Chief of Police; the Director of Ampersand Sexual Violence Resource Center of the Bluegrass; the Director of the Children's Advocacy Center of the Bluegrass; the Director of the Chrysalis House; the Director of Greenhouse17; the Director of the Nursing Home Ombudsman Agency of the Bluegrass; the Director of the Nest; the Director of the University of Kentucky Violence Intervention and Prevention (VIP) Center; the Superintendent of Fayette County Schools; the Fayette County Service Region Administrator, Kentucky Cabinet for Health and Family Services; the Fayette Friend of the Court; the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Multicultural Affairs Program Coordinator; the Violence Against Women Act Attorney from Legal Aid of the Bluegrass; the Director of the Division of Family and Youth Services for CHES Solutions Group. The ex officio members May select a designee authorized to represent them on the board. Both the at-large members and the ex officio members or their designees shall be voting members of the board. The Div. of Police, Dept. of social services and the Dept. of law shall provide staff and assistance to the board as needed. Board members shall receive no compensation for their services.
Sec. 2-253. - Officers; records; frequency of meetings.
The Mayor May appoint a program coordinator and other staff as necessary to assist the board in carrying out its duties. The board shall elect officers to include a chairperson, a vice-chairperson, and a secretary. Elected officers shall serve a four-year term. Elected officers May not serve consecutive terms. The LFUCG Commissioner of Social Services shall serve as the treasurer of the board. The board shall determine its own rules and order of business and shall provide for keeping a record of its proceedings. The board shall meet on the 3rd Monday of the months of March, June, September, and December.
Sec. 2-256. - Duties.
The board shall, as permitted by law:
(1) Apply for, receive and disburse funds and Contract with any state, federal, public or private organization, as well as solicit and receive contributions and donations from individuals and groups for the purpose of carrying out its duties as set forth herein;
(2) Deposit any funds received into an account in the LFUCG Department of Social Services for disbursement to eligible agencies and organizations;
(3) Review, endorse and recommend disbursement of funds to local private, nonprofit or public agencies as May apply to the board for funding of interpersonal violence prevention programs, provided that applicant agencies meet the criteria established by the board pursuant to relevant state and federal laws and other conditions deemed by the board as necessary to carry out the goal of prevention of interpersonal violence;
(4) Develop comprehensive plans for programs directed at prevention of interpersonal violence, embracing both the public and the private sector, utilizing information and suggestions of individuals, governmental entities and public and private organizations;
(5) Sponsor educational programs, conduct conferences and seminars, and dispense information aimed at educating the general public, teachers, the medical, legal and social work and other professional communities regarding interpersonal violence identification, prevention and intervention;
(6) Recommend new programs, appropriate linkages and modifications of existing programs dealing with interpersonal violence to the Mayor, Urban County Council, and to public and private agencies;
(7) Provide technical assistance and coordination to the public and private sector on programs, services and issues related to interpersonal violence;
(8) Prepare an annual report to the Mayor and the Urban County Council setting forth projected goals and programs as well as completed programs and accomplishments;
(9) Establish committees, which May include interested members of the public, as May be necessary for carrying out the duties as set forth herein; and
(10) Perform any other act necessary and appropriate to carry out the purposes of this article.
Section 2 - That this Ordinance shall become effective upon passage of Council.
PASSED URBAN COUNTY COUNCIL:
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MAYOR
ATTEST:
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CLERK OF URBAN COUNTY COUNCIL