ACCARDV Commissioner Meeting
January 17, 2024
Minutes
Attendees: Candy Garland, Laura Robertson, Sherry Williamson, Sam Siegel, Stasia McDonald, Zach Barnes, Laura Abbott, Tiffany Wright, Dorinda Edmisten, Dr. Karen Worley, Beth Sanders, Dr. Sufna John, Ryan Cooper, Zach Morrison, Dr. Andrew Baker, Courtney Leach, Elizabeth Pulley, Will Jones, Dr. Karen Farst, and Judge Robin Green.
Welcome provided by Dorinda Edmisten, Executive Chair
Approval of Minutes of October 2023 meeting: No corrections or additions necessary. Motion made by Ryan Cooper. Motion seconded by Beth Sanders. Motion passed.
Committee Updates:
Child Welfare Committee update: Dr. Karen Worley provided the update for the committee. Last meeting it was discussed that the Child Welfare Ombudsman report raised concerns about the child welfare system. It was discussed how to handle the statistics and data provided. The Committee decided to look at existing data/reports and provide recommendations to the committee as to which concerns to focus on through the committee. The next meeting will be scheduled for the spring. Requests were made for suggestions from Committee members as to how to proceed with the focus groups.
Sexual Assault Prevention Committee update: Sam Siegel provided the update as Melanie Mata, the Committee Chair, was unable to attend the meeting. November 15, 2023 was the date of the last Committee meeting. TeleSANE funding issues were discussed and their meeting with the Arkansas AG’s office was covered. Goals for 2024: to develop a toolkit for providers, update rape kit resource list, build representation on Committee with other groups, and form committee to update resource list and victim’s rights. Hospital Protocol manual should be finalized by summer 2024. Hospital Protocol conference will be held August 7-9, 2024. Next Committee meeting will be 2/14/24 at 1pm.
Brief update on CWO Division: update provided by Laura Robertson. 43 cases were handled in 2021, the first year of the Ombudsman office. 92 cases were handled in 2022, and 124 cases were handled in 2023.
New Business:
- Sherry Williamson provided an update on the upcoming release of the Child Abuse and Neglect Prevention RFP. There will be updates based on the challenges faced in the first two years of the program. Type of prevention requirements and confusion led to that being removed and the focus placed on the population. Will be released by the end of January for a start date of the end of June.
- Sam Siegel provided an update on a new project to provide regional mini-conferences around the state. Block grant funded the project. Short conferences provided for free in the 5 public health regions of the state. Two conferences will be provided in each region based on the needs of that region-to be determined through results from statewide survey. Professional development is concentrated in Central Arkansas by location and need. Hope to help de-silo child abuse/domestic violence/sexual assault service providers. We are working with providers in each region to determine topics/speakers/locations. Dates of the conferences have been chosen and provided to service providers in each region.
- Updates to the ACCARDV website: Laura Robertson provided updates in regard to the additions of information on human trafficking to the Commission website.
No other business was discussed.
June meeting will be held in person on June 19, 2024 at 1:00 p.m. Meeting will be held at Freeway Medical and lunch will be provided prior to the meeting. A Zoom option will be available.
October meeting will be on October 23rd.
Meeting was adjourned.