SANTA CRUZ COUNTY

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COMMISSION

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT/ANNUAL REPORT COMMITTEE

 

MINUTES

 

Meeting Date: November 7, 2002 11:00 AM– 1:00 PM

Location: District Attorney’s Office

701 Ocean Street, Room 200

Santa Cruz

 

  1. Call to Order
    Chair McWhorter called the meeting to order at 11:10 AM. Others present: Paula Gammell, Vice Chair, Alan Hiromura, Linda Starn, and David Rabow.

 

  1. Additions or Deletions to the Agenda
    None.

  2. Oral Communications from the Community
    None.

 

  1. Approval of the November 4, 2002 minutes
    This item moved to the next meeting.

 

  1. What Works! explains their project, how it fits in with the data collection work of this committee, how we can collaborate, and what each party would gain from the collaboration
    Nancy Goodban gave her report.

 

  1. Erica Wood, of ASR, reviews the committee’s draft evaluation tool, giving recommendation to the committee
    Erica was concerned about the success of gathering the amount of data without staff assigned to the project. She was also concerned about the extra work for agencies to acquire and submit such data. Without automated data, she continued, the numbers would be incorrect.

 

She suggested the committee focus on their goal for obtaining the data and then create the 12-15 things the committee most wants to know in order to reach that goal… to start with a broader scan.

 

ASR could help the committee create a one-time template, however, they are used to doing the entire project where they are responsible to collect the data and write the report. ASR also knows where existing data lies that they can retrieve.

 

  1. ASR and What Works! discuss how they can provide guidance to the committee in its data collection efforts
    What Works! would like to collaborate as we are working on similar issues. ASR could help with funds from us. A proposal would be needed to gather exact cost figures.
     
  2. This Committee "officially" agrees (or not) to accept the What Works! project as part of its Committee
    The committee decided to put off this decision until it is cleared in its next steps.

  3. Committee decides next steps, based on information gained in this meeting
    The committee decided it wanted information that most likely did not already exist. It also is committed to a template that serves as an ongoing collection tool rather than a one-year report.

    Pro’s of working with ASR: They do this professionally; doesn’t tax the agencies if they are getting existing data; we could run into problems with the consistency of collection without an assigned staff person; easier on committee members as ASR does the work. Con’s of working with ASR: money; the data we want most likely does not exist already.

    Before the next meeting members will: Take out the demographics of the original data tool. Looking at our goal statement, each member will choose the 20 questions he or she thinks are best. Next meeting we decide on an agreement of questions. We send those questions to ASR, asking them if those are items they can get through researching existing data, and we give them to the County’s technology department in order to receive an implementation proposal.

 

  1. Announcements
    None.

 

  1. Schedule next meeting
    November 19, 11:30-1:30 at the DA’s office.

 

  1. Closing
    Completed

 

  1. Official adjournment
    Chair McWhorter adjourned the meeting at 1:10 PM.