MARTIN COUNTY SHARED SERVICES NETWORK
END OF THE GRANT YEAR REPORT: December 2003
Measurable Goals for 2003 (2002-2003 grant years) 

I.                    Introductory Paragraph   

The Shared Services Network of Martin County has completed year four of the project and continues to refine the infrastructure that has been developed in our county.  We continue to build an identifiable infrastructure that brings together chief executive officers to determine community needs, set priorities, identify barriers, solve problems, and initiate specific activities that assist students, especially at-risk and exceptional education students and their families.  The Shared Services Network is comprised of local government, educational organizations, non-profit organizations, law enforcement, judicial entities, health and local businesses. The Martin County Shared Services Network continues to periodically review and update membership.  During this reporting period, 2002-2003, the local administrator of the Department of Health changed, and the new administrator was invited to participate and indicated that he would. 

The Executive Roundtable meets quarterly and will continue to do so.  The Executive Committee of the Roundtable, made up of the agencies that provided financial support to Shared Services Network budget in 2003, met once in November 2002 and four times during 2003.  The responsibilities of the Executive Committee are two-fold; to develop agendas for quarterly Executive Roundtable meetings and to develop the Shared Services Network continuation budgets.   In 2003 the Superintendent of Schools, former Executive Roundtable Chair, stepped down and the County Administrator graciously accepted the role of Chair for the Roundtable.   The way of work for meetings and operations has been established and is refined as needed.  Identifying, analyzing and prioritizing needs of children and families in Martin County continues to be the primary work of the Roundtable.  The Steering Committee meets monthly and takes direction from the Executive Roundtable.  The Steering Committee assists in gathering and reviewing data and implementing strategies to address issues. 

II.                  Goals/Objectives:  Accomplishments  

The measurable goals and objective for 2002-2003 were (see attachment #1): 

1. Improve Average Daily Attendance of Martin County students

a)       Coordinate efforts with the Martin County School District to support programs aimed at  lowering chronic absenteeism and truancy.        

Since 1999 a priority issue for MC Shared Services Network has been improving school attendance.  Working together with Student Services great strides have been made in the last three years.   Time on task is one of the most important factors of student achievement.  Outcome (a) under this goal for 2003 was “average daily attendance in Martin County Schools will increase by .5% during the 2002-2003 school year”.   Figures supplied by the Student Services Department of Martin County Schools reflect the following average daily attendance information: 

              
Average daily attendance (ADA) for Martin County students has increased every year since the inception of Shared Services Network, which the Student Services Department attributes in part to the collaboration with its Shared Services Network partners.  The ADA for 2002-2003 increased 1.31% over 2001-2002 figures, which surpasses the goal of .5%.  The increase of 1.31% of the total number of membership (school days) for the 2002-3003 school year amounts to 40,640 more days that students were in school. 

In the fall of 2002 the Student Services Department and the Truant Officers conducted a letter writing campaign to families whose children had 21 or more total absences for the 2001-2002 school year.   Each letter was individually addressed and signed by the Truant Officer.  Letters included information regarding the number of days the child had been absent in 2001-2002, indicated that research suggests that regular school attendance is a behavior that is extremely important for academic success and invited the parents to partner with the staff of Martin County School District in an effort to improve the school attendance of the child in 2002-2003.   Results of the letter writing campaign were excellent as indicated by the table below:  

 (see attachment #2).   

One of the projects that contributed to an increase in average daily attendance and decrease in high frequency absenteeism was the development of a tracking system for those students who are chronically absent. After the letter writing campaign in  the fall of 2002, the Shared Services Network Facilitator provided the district truant officers with training on developing databases to track excessive absenteeism.   The training included segments on construction and maintenance of the database.  Funds from the Shared Services Network budget paid for a clerical support person to input student data into the databases. Throughout the 2002-2003 school year, Truant Officers used the databases to track students with poor attendance. 

In the fall of 2003 the letter writing campaign was repeated, this time using information in the database to mail merge the letter and produce mailing labels.  By using the databases and producing letters electronically the entire exercise was much more time efficient.  

It is the plan of the Coordinator of Students Services, the Shared Services Network Facilitator and Truant Officers to repeat this letter campaign in the fall of 2004.  In addition, the Student Services staff will have face to face meetings with students and their parents on the list of students with high absenteeism. 

Data obtained from the Florida School Indicator Report is indicative of a positive attendance trend with regard to the number of students absent from school 21 or more total days over the course of the years of the Shared Services Network Project, 1999-2003.  The table below reflects the positive attendance trend: 

 Additionally, the Coordinator of Student Services arranged to share a video teleconference with the Steering Committee.  The video teleconference was sponsored by OJJDP (Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention), focused on truancy issues, and aired in the spring of 2003.   A key point of the video presentation is that law enforcement needs to buy into the process of keeping children in school.  In part because of collaboration with the Stuart Police Department, J.D. Parker Elementary School has had one of the highest daily attendance percentages of all elementary schools.  As a result of the Stuart Police Department’s Youth Diversion Program there has been an increase in student enrollment in after school and summer programs and decrease in crimes committed by juveniles in the city of Stuart (see attachment #3, City of Stuart Juvenile Crime Report)

b)      Expand the Family Friendly Business Recognition program honoring Community Businesses (FFBR).  

During 2002-2003 three Family Friendly Business Recognition awards were presented at Executive Roundtable quarterly meetings.  Several other businesses have been referred to Shared Services Network for recognition.  The local Success By 6 initiative has also developed a family friendly business recognition program and discussions are underway to merge the Shared Services Network award program with Success By 6.  One measurable goal of Shared Services Network for 2004 will be to finalize this merger.  

2. Reduce Substance Abuse by Martin County Students

a)      Sponsor a second anti-substance abuse Public Service Announcement/Poster Contest for Martin County students. 

The Martin County Shared Services Network sponsored a second countywide Public Service Announcement (PSA) and Poster Contest for students in Martin County in the 2002-2003 school year.  The purpose of the contest was to make students aware of their obligation to assist their peers to avoid unsafe behavior.  The theme of the contest was “Do the Right Thing!”, friends helping friends stay safe from drugs, alcohol, tobacco and violence.  Over 700 students in Martin County participated by either submitting a poster or a public service announcement.  In April 2003, the Executive Roundtable hosted a “premier night” to showcase the work of our students.  Over 300 students and parents participated.   The evening was similar to the Academy Awards, with student winners receiving prizes and ribbons as well as trophies for their schools.  Martin County Shared Services Network partnered with the American Association of University Women and the Martin County League of Women Voters to produce the premier event.  Students in the TV Production program at Martin County High School produced the premier night, which included a special video production to kick off the show.  The Boys and Girls Clubs of Martin County, a member agency of the Steering Committee, sponsored the prizes.  Executive Roundtable members acted as judges and prize presenters.  Attached to this document is the final report (see attachment #4) outlining the PSA and Poster Contest.  Plans are currently under way to replicate this contest during the 2003-2004 school year, with the Boys and Girls Clubs of Martin County taking the lead in the contest development. 

b)      Work collaboratively with the Safe and Drug Free Schools program and the Martin County 21^st Century Grant. 

In 2003, Martin County School District secured a 21^st Century Community Learning Centers Grant for educational and recreational programming for children in our western zone, Indiantown, during the summer of 2003.  The project is a five year project.. The grant project is a collaboration between Martin County School District and its community partners including Shared Services Network’s Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Task Force, the YMCA, Martin County Parks and Recreations, Boys and Girls Clubs of Martin County, American Red Cross, Healthy Start Coalition and Character Counts!.   Shared Services Network’s obligation to the grant process was to provide developmental assets presentations and training to all of the adult staff working in the summer programs (all teachers and agency personnel), as well as providing developmental asset training to the rising 9^th graders and their parents targeted for grant participation (see attachment #5, Developmental Asset Presentations for 21^st Century Grant).   Grant funds provided money for materials and supplies for the participants and for facilitation of the asset presentations.   

As a supplement to the developmental asset programs that Healthy Community Healthy Youth Task Force facilitators presented to students, teachers and agency personnel, teachers working with the students spent time everyday on developmental asset building activities.  A pre-test was conducted with students the first day of the presentation and a post-test followed at the end of the program.  One critical asset relates to reading for pleasure and the availability of materials that the students have to read in their free time.  One outcome of the information gathered was that students indicated they do not have access to magazines for reading for pleasure.  Students attending South Fork High School as part of the summer program were surveyed and indicated they would read more if items like magazines were available to them on a regular basis.  Because of this information the Indiantown Middle School SWAT Club (Students Working Against Tobacco) is coordinating a magazine collection program for students in the western schools.  Ms. Robyn Cleghorn, Safe and Drug Free Schools Coordinator, and a facilitator for Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Task Force, developed a final report on the 21^st Century Grant Summer Program, which included the pre/post evaluation results, and presented it to the Shared Services Network Steering Committee in July 2003. 

c)       Continue to promote and raise awareness regarding level of substance abuse in Martin County. 

Shared Services Network sponsored two community planning sessions conducted by a consultant from Channing Bete/Communities that Care.  The sessions took place on April 23, 2003 and August 27, 2003 and were sponsored financially by Safe and Drug Free Schools, The Children’s Services Council of Martin County and Martin County Board of County Commissioner’s Community Services Department.  Invited guests included Executive Roundtable and Steering Committee members, agency personnel and interested community members.  The purpose of the planning sessions was to gather data related to reducing youth substance abuse (Martin County students self-reported higher than state average substance abuse use in many categories on the Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey statistics in both 2000 and 2002.)   Information was collected at both planning sessions to be used in the development of a community mobilization action plan to reduce youth substance abuse.  A product of the planning sessions was the development of a prioritized risk and protective factors document (see attachment # 6, Prioritized Risk and Protective Factors), which was the springboard for the community plan.   Risk factors include:

·         Family attitudes favorable toward alcohol, tobacco and other drugs use

·         Peer attitudes favorable toward alcohol, tobacco and other drug use

·         Personal transitions and mobility 

Protective factors include:

·         Family

·         School rewards for pro-social involvement

·         Community rewards for pro-social involvement 

Three outcomes of the Communities that Care Planning Sessions include:

1.       Engaging  key leaders and citizens in the community to meet together to discuss the issue of youth substance abuse

2.       Development of a database of committed community leaders and citizens interested in working together on the issue of reducing youth substance abuse

3.       The collection of data to be used as the framework for a draft community plan to reduce youth substance abuse 

The Shared Services Network Steering Committee synthesized the information collected at the Communities that Care Planning Sessions and developed a draft Community Mobilization Action Plan to Reduce Youth Substance Abuse (see attachment 7)  This draft plan included a fourth risk factor, Community Attitudes favorable toward alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. The plan was presented to the Executive Roundtable at their quarterly meeting on October 8, 2003 and was approved by the CEO’s by consensus at that meeting.  Additionally, community members who participated in the Communities that Care Planning sessions were invited to the October 8, 2003 meeting of the Executive Roundtable which was televised by Martin County TV Channel 20.  Having the Executive Roundtable meeting televised allowed for information in the community plan to be shared with citizens in Martin County who did not participate in the Communities that Care planning sessions. 

After approval by the Executive Roundtable, Steering Committee members were asked to develop the strategies by which the plan would be implemented.  Strategies included the development of four sub-committees, one for each risk factor domain.  The sub-committees had their organizational meetings in early December 2003 and a second meeting in mid-December 2003 and plans to implement best practices and activities are in full swing.  A detailed report on progress of the action plan will be presented to the Executive Roundtable at their quarterly meeting on January 28, 2004. 

Martin County Shared Services Network continues to work collaboratively with the Martin County Substance Abuse Council and the District Substance Abuse Provider Collaborative.  Martin County results of the 2002 Florida Youth Substance Abuse Survey did show a slight improvement in some areas over the 2000 results, however, reduction of youth substance abuse continues to be a priority issue for Martin County Shared Services Network. 

d)      Explore the establishment of a MADD Chapter in Martin County.

The Boys and Girls Clubs of Martin County, a resource representative of the SSN Steering Committee, in collaboration with Alpha Ministries of Stuart, wrote a grant to the Children’s Services Council to secure funds for the development of the Martin County MADD Chapter. The grant was funded and a MADD Project Coordinator was hired.  In kind donations (office space, copying, postage, etc.) were offered by SSN Steering Committee entities.  Shared Services Network representatives sat on the committee to develop the MADD Chapter and worked collaborative with the Executive Director of MADD Florida to develop the chapter. As part of the charter process, a research project was completed by local representative and submitted to MADD Florida and ultimately to National MADD.   A Martin County MADD Chapter organizational meeting was held on November 17, 2003 (see attachment # 8), at which time the Board of Directors was established.  The Shared Services Network Facilitator serves as Treasure of the newly organized MADD Chapter.  It is expected that the Martin County MADD Chapter will be chartered in early January 2004.  The objectives of MADD are: 

·         To prevent underage drinking

·         To stop drunk driving

·         To assist victims of alcohol related accidents 

The Shared Services Network Steering Committee intends to collaborate with the local MADD Chapter to fulfill several of the mandates of the Community Mobilization Action Plan to reduce youth substance abuse, including assistance with the development of state and local ordinances to strengthen enforcement of drunk driving laws. 

e)      Increase awareness of the Search Institute’s Developmental Assets research in Martin County. 

The Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Task Force (formerly the Developmental Assets Task Force), a sub-group of the SSN Steering Committee has been extremely active during the fall of 2002 and throughout 2003. The Task Force has worked collaboratively with Character Counts!, whose pillars of character closely align with the development asset domains.  Members of the Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Task Force participated in a year long Service Leadership Florida project, with their primary focus being developing assets in youth in Martin County.   A local consultant worked with the Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Task Force to develop a mission statement and strategic plan (see attachment # 9).   The main objective of the Task Force is to institutionalize the concept of developing assets in youth throughout Martin County, thus increasing protective factors and decreasing risk factors. To that end, over 25 developmental asset presentations were held in this reporting period (see attachment # 10). Additionally, presentations were given to the Martin County children’s library staff, parents of rising 9^th graders at both Martin County High School and South Fork High School (see attachment # 11), community agencies and school district personnel.  The Superintendent of Schools, an Executive Roundtable member, collaborated with the Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Task force to initiate a plan to train all school board employees in asset building in youth.  To that end, an initial presentation was given to all school principals in November 2003.   As a result of the presentation to principals, several schools have requested training for their staff, which has been completed.  The Task Force sponsored a Train the Trainer in November 2003 to add more qualified developmental asset trainers to the list of individuals currently training in Martin County.  As a compliment to training school board staff a second Train the Trainer will be conducted in January 2004 with the focus being employees of the school district interested in assisting with the initiative of training all school board employees.    

Additionally, the Shared Services Network and Safe and Drug-Free Schools budgets allowed the Chair of the Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Task Force to attend the Sixth Search Institute Healthy Communities/Healthy Youth National Conference in Minneapolis in November 2002.  Attendance at the national event allowed the Task Force Chair to bring a wealth of information back to the local Task Force (see attachment #12).  Many materials used by the Task Force are secured at no cost from the Lutheran Brotherhood/Thrivant Financial.  Much of the information shared locally is provided by the Search Institute, a research group in Minnesota (www.search-institute.org ).

f)        Work toward institutionalizing the developmental assets concept throughout Martin County. 

In addition to the information included in the paragraph above, the Children’s Services Council of Martin County and the United Way of Martin County, whose Executive Directors sit on the SSN Executive Roundtable, institutionalized the use of building assets in youth in their grant application process.  Additionally, the School Board Grant writer included asset building in many of the grants that she produced, including the 21^st Century Learning Centers grant which was funded for five years, as mentioned earlier in this report.

3. Improve service delivery to children and families at risk.

a)      Each Executive Roundtable member agency will identify barriers that affect the coordination of service delivery to children and identify policies and/or procedures that may require modification.  

Executive Roundtable members continue to participate in the Shared Services Network Alliance of Okeechobee and the Treasure Coast.  The Alliance is the advisory group for the Department of Children and Families legislatively mandated community-based care initiative. Four members of the Martin County Executive Roundtable sit on the Alliance and the Roundtable is in the process of recruiting a fifth member.  A major focus of the SSN Alliance during 2002-2003 was the recruitment of qualified, trained foster parents due to a critical shortage locally.  Martin County SSN Alliance members participated in a Four-County Child Watch, “Focus on Foster Care in District XV” in April 2003.  The objective of the child watch was to raise awareness of the critical shortage of foster parents and to share ideas on how Roundtable member agencies could assist in the endeavor.  

Executive Roundtable members will continue to collaborate using the Shared Services Network way of work as barriers are identified and/or eliminated. 

b)      Create community awareness of the availability of the Executive Roundtable to hear proposed changes in policy that impact children and families at risk. 

An unmet challenge during the project period of 2001-2002 for Martin County Shared Services Network was to establish a relationship with our local press and media to assure activities of the Executive Roundtable and Steering Committee are highlighted in local publications.  Due to major efforts on the part of Steering Committee members, developing an excellent working relationship with our local media has been achieved.  Two local newspapers, the Stuart News and the Palm Beach Post, published more than twelve articles regarding Shared Services Network initiatives in 2002-2003.  The topics of the articles ranged from the Communities that Care Planning Sessions to developmental asset building in the community, as well as the organization of the local MADD Chapter.  Additionally, as mentioned earlier in this project report, Martin County TV broadcast the October 8, 2003 Executive Roundtable meeting on Channel 20 and also broadcast the organizational meeting of the MADD Chapter on November 17.   By highlighting activities of Shared Services Network in the press and on television, a venue has been created for our community to become aware of the availability of the Executive Roundtable to hear proposed changes in policy that impact children and families at risk.  A goal for 2004 will be to establish a mechanism whereby local media contacts look to Shared Services Network as an authority on SSN priority issues. 

c)       When a barrier is identified in the process of increasing attendance or lowering substance abuse, the SSN Executive Roundtable will work together to resolve the barrier.

Through a comprehensive parent survey developed and distributed by the Exceptional Student Education Department (ESE) of Martin County School District in January 2002 information was collected regarding issues that affect exceptional student education students and/or students at risk.  A prevailing theme surfaced as qualitative and quantitative data were reviewed.   The theme concerned a need for improving communications between the Exceptional Student Education Department, school-based personnel and parents.  To that end, the ESE Department instituted the following activities to improve communication and collaboration with parents of at risk students: 

·         An ESE Website was developed and showcased in January 2003 (www.ese.sbmc.org)

·         An ESE brochure, entitled “Information and Support for the Special Needs Community” was developed and distributed to all schools in August 2003. This brochure was also distributed to Shared Services Network agencies and members of the Martin County Interagency Coalition.

·         An electronic distribution list of interested parents was developed by the ESE Parent Liaison to transmit information of importance (parent conferences and trainings) to those parents who subscribe

·         The Exceptional Student Education Department developed the Parents as Ambassadors Program. The foundation of Parents as Ambassadors is a one-to-one partnership between two parents who share similar family and disability issues.  Because parents are excellent resources to other parents of a child with a like disability the department recognized that parents make an excellent resource to other parents.   This type of connection between families has existed informally in Martin County for a long time, but by developing a database of trained, professional parents who are dedicated to assisting other families thought the ESE process an additional communication resource was founded.

Additionally in response to the Family and School Partnership for Student Achievement Act, passed by the 2003 legislature the following products were developed by the Martin County School District:

·         School Board Rule 6Gx43-6.19, Parental/Family Involvement, outlining communications, parenting, student learning, volunteering, school decision-making and advocacy and collaborating with the community.

·         A parent self-assessment checklist for Martin County Schools and

·         A parent guide to Martin County Schools, “Step One! Connecting Families and Schools”. Contents include the school district profile, available services, business and community groups helping Martin County Schools, special services available, district department contact numbers and helpful resources and links. 

III.                Support the Shared Services Network Facilitator through training and use of the Shared Services Network Facilitator as a resource  

Training and technical assistance has been provided to the Facilitator in the areas of technology, data management, and facilitation. The Martin County Shared Services Network Facilitator attended all of the quarterly Workday sessions provided by the State Technical Assistance Team during 2002-2003.

The Shared Services Network Facilitator attended Parent Involvement training in Tallahassee in November 2002 and How to Deal with Difficult Parent Training in May 2003.   Additionally, the SSN Facilitator developed and presented the following training opportunities: 

• Parent Involvement, A Key to Program Excellence, presented at the annual Visions Conference in February 2003
• Providing Great Customer Service,  presented to the ESE Mainstream Consultants in April 2003 and at the Shared Services Network State Workdays in September 2003

Additionally, the Martin County SSN Facilitator contributed to an article published in Managing School Business in October 2002 (see attachment # 13). The topic of the article is the impact of Shared Services Network in Martin County. 

IV.        Secure project continuation funding from Agency partners to ensure the Shared Services Network infrastructure is sustained in Martin County after grant funds are depleted. 

The Budget Committee worked throughout 2002 to identify resources for the enhancement of and continuation of the Facilitator position.  In the fall of 2002 the Executive Committee was established and consists of the Executive Roundtable Members who fund a portion of the Facilitation position. A project continuation budget was presented to the Executive Roundtable in February 2002.  One half of the salary and all of the benefits for the Facilitation position were pledged by the Martin County School District.  Additional in-kind supports pledged by the School District are office space, telephone, Internet, fax, technology support and some clerical support.  In-kind support from other Executive Roundtable agencies includes meeting-room space, training and presentations.  At the April 2002 meeting the following Executive Roundtable member agencies agreed to fund approximately $22,000 needed to complete the 2003 budget:

·         The Department of Children and Families

·         Children’s Service Council

·         City of Stuart

·         Martin County Board of County Commissioners

·         United Way of Martin County

·         Safe and Drug Free Schools

·         21^st Century Learning Center Grant 

A budget for calendar year 2004 was developed (see attachment # 14) and presented to the Executive Roundtable Executive Committee in September 2003 and to the full Roundtable for approval in October 2003.  Additionally, the Steering Committee is currently working on the measurable goals and objectives for 2004 which will be presented to the Executive Roundtable in January 2004. 

V.         Infrastructure:  See attached organizational chart and relationship chart of Martin County Shared Services Network Infrastructure (see attachment # 15, #16, and #17, a one page overview of Shared Services Network membership)  

The Shared Services Network is a four-tiered infrastructure consisting of key stakeholders currently in place to coordinate service delivery to children and families through policies that encourage shared funding and linkages.

The first tier is the Executive Roundtable of Martin County and the Roundtables of the other three counties in the District.  These decision-maker forums are comprised of constitutional officers, elected officials, and appointed chief executives of the major governmental agencies, as well as the District State Attorney, the Public Defender, and other local policy-makers.  The Roundtable group provides a mechanism for dialogue and community problem-solving and serves a public policy function necessary to the success of the collaborative, including identifying issues, removing policy barriers and monitoring and evaluating implemented strategies.

Tier two is the Steering Committee in each of the four counties.  These groups consists of, but are not limited to, agency administrators, school personnel, representatives of the Department of Juvenile Justice, Children and Families and law enforcement, professionals in the area of substance abuse, mental health, family advocacy, and others with expertise in planning, funding and providing direct services for children and their families. Each group functions by stimulating change at the policy and direct service level.   The Steering Committees are charged with the sharing of information, issue identification and analysis, and eliminating barriers to service delivery, as well as implementing strategies approved by their individual Executive Roundtables.

Tier three is the Shared Services Alliance of Okeechobee and the Treasure Coast.  The Alliance consists of key district leaders and advocates who are members of Shared Services Network Executive Roundtables in each of the four regional counties. There are five members from each of the four Roundtables.   Participating members include Circuit Judges, the District Juvenile Justice Manager, the District Administrator for the Department of Children & Families, Law Enforcement (Chief of Police and Sheriff), City and County Officials (Mayor, County Commissioner, City Council, Chamber of Commerce, and County Social Services), Educational Representatives (Public School Superintendent, Community College Provost and School Board Members), Administrators and Directors of the Department of Health, Executive Directors of Workforce Development, Children’s Services Council, and Healthy Start,  United Way President, and Foster Care Representatives. The primary strength of the Alliance is its ability to influence policy and funding decisions across county, regional and state lines.

The fourth tier is the focus of the entire Shared Services Network Infrastructure.  It consists of District 15’s children and families in need of services.  Meeting notices in all tiers are publicized and those in need of services are encouraged to participate at all levels.  

 A critical component to the success of the infrastructure is the Shared Services Network Facilitator in each county.  Each facilitator offers support to the infrastructure through leadership, communication, mediation, research, and knowledge of resources. The purpose of these positions is to coordinate group activities, facilitate the communication and tasks of all parties, package and distribute relevant information, and ensure the successful completion of all projects.  Another major responsibility of the facilitator is to promote accountability and serve as a link between all tiers of the infrastructure.  The Executive Roundtable Networks have committed their facilitators as consultants to the Alliance in order to maximize the capacity to gather and analyze data, identify resources, involve communities, provide ease of access, and expedite coordination of services in the target area.   

The Alliance evolved naturally from the existing county networks.  It was precipitated by the development of an advisory group to oversee the privatization of foster care and adoptive services in District 15.  Due to the magnitude of membership in the individual Executive Roundtables, there was a natural progression to tap into those resources to develop the Alliance to address the Community Based Care Initiative (CBCI).  It was immediately evident that the CBCI was only one of the critical issues that impact children and families in our District.  Right from the start, the chief decision-makers present expressed their commitment to improve services to children and families in the areas of substance abuse and mental health at the same time they address the CBCI issues. 

VI.        Unanticipated Outcomes  

The major unanticipated outcome during this reporting  period has been the strengthening of the working relationship between Martin County Shared Services Network, the Department of Children and Families, the School District’s Safe and Drug Free Schools Program, the United Way Character Counts! Program and the numerous other community partners in the project.  Coordinating the Communities that Care Planning Process gave Shared Services Network the opportunity to call together community citizens interested in assisting with the task of reducing youth substance abuse in Martin County.

Additionally, because of the development of the Healthy Communities Healthy Youth Task Force (formerly the Developmental Assets Task Force), there has been a continued surge of interest on the part of many community agencies to learn more about increasing protective factors in our youth in Martin County.   Many individuals exposed to the developmental assets concept have indicated that as important as it is for programs to work to protect our youth, they personally have changed the way that they interact with all children and adults that they encounter in their daily lives.  This continues to be an outcome that could not have been anticipated.

V.         Unmet Challenges and Future Directions  

During the 2003-2004 project period the Steering Committee will endeavor to bring forth problems worthy of upper level discussion and decision-making, as requested by the Executive Roundtable during the September 2002 meeting. 

As noted above, the Martin County Shared Services Network Executive Roundtable has committed to continuing to work together for a second year after grant funds were exhausted. The Executive Roundtable partners have pledged financial support for the 2004 budget, but future funding will continue to be an issue due to shrinking agency budgets and legislative budgetary cuts.  To that end, the Executive Committee of the Roundtable will continue to keep the issue of future funding a priority and will evaluate other methods of securing continuation funds, including grant writing and collaboration with other funding entities.   

VI.        Martin County Shared Services Network Contact Information

Aa        Attachments: