Despite challenges, Florida’s juvenile justice system continues to improve
By Shay Bilchik
Miami Herald
November 10, 2017
Recent Herald articles about the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ) raise significant concerns about the agency’s operation. Unfortunately, they paint an incomplete picture.
Six years ago, DJJ embarked on an effort to strategically transform the way it serves at-risk and delinquent youth. This has been a daunting task filled with challenges, but led by a committed group of policymakers and practitioners, the agency has demonstrated great successes along the way.
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DJJ’s path has not been perfect, but what I know from firsthand contact with that system is that its efforts have been earnest and significant. And while there have been horrible incidents of misconduct by staff, each has been met with an appropriate response by DJJ to address the behavior and ensure that it does not recur. At the same time, DJJ’s leadership has not wavered in its commitment to improve the overall system and how it serves youth, including the prevention of delinquent behavior.
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Indeed, now is the time for Florida’s leadership to build on DJJ’s successes and further improve the system by investing in high quality staff, as well as smaller residential placements that are closer to where youth live and can successfully transition back into their communities.
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DJJ is setting the standard for system reform, including its work around screening and assessment, the use of structured decision-making tools, and data analysis which is positively influencing practice across the country. Indeed, tens of thousands of youth are being well served by the Department of each year.
Is DJJ perfect in its work? No, but it is far better than the Herald’s reporting reflects.
SHAY BILCHIK IS RESEARCH PROFESSOR/CENTER DIRECTOR AT THE CENTER FOR JUVENILE JUSTICE REFORM AT GEORGETOWN UNIVERSITY’S MCCOURT SCHOOL OF PUBLIC POLICY. HE SERVED FORMERLY AS AN ASSISTANT STATE ATTORNEY IN MIAMI-DADE COUNTY; AND ADMINISTRATOR OF THE OFFICE OF JUVENILE JUSTICE AND DELINQUENCY PREVENTION IN THE U. S. DEPARTMENT OF JUSTICE.
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Stetson University Waives Application Fee for Members of U.S. Armed Forces
Waiver honors veterans, encourages them to apply and graduate
As a member of the Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success, Stetson University announced it is participating in the coalition’s application fee waiver for members of the U.S. Armed Forces to honor the military service of veterans and to encourage veterans to apply and graduate from college.
“Only four percent of all undergraduate students are veterans, and less than one-third of those veterans enroll at a four-year public or private university,” said Annie Reznik, executive director of the Coalition. “Our hope is that this waiver will not only inspire more veterans to apply to Coalition schools, but also convey that our members greatly value their service to our country, and now want to serve them. Plus, with their excellent track record of supporting students — and the graduation rates to prove it — Coalition schools are truly smart college choices for veterans.”
“Stetson recognizes that veterans face unique challenges, and this fee waiver is a way to facilitate that transition,” said Joel Bauman, vice president for enrollment management. Bauman added that Stetson University is military and veteran friendly.
The fee waiver is seamlessly integrated into the Coalition’s online application, and is the easy to use. Applicants simply indicate their status as “currently serving” or “previously served” in the U. S. Armed Forces, and a list of member schools that honor the waiver will be listed. Qualifying students will then automatically bypass the payment screen when they submit their application.
The Coalition for Access, Affordability, and Success is a group of colleges and universities across the U.S. that is committed to making college a reality for all students through its set of free online college planning tools, MyCoalition, that helps them learn about, prepare for and apply to college.
For more information visit, MyCoalition or coalitionforcollegeaccess.org.
Appointments by Gov. Rick Scott for Thursday, November 9, 2017
Gov. Scott Appoints Two to Board of Pharmacy
Governor Rick Scott today announced the appointment of two to the Board of Pharmacy.
Dr. Jeffrey Mesaros, 40, of Orlando, is the senior legal counsel of pharmacy practice for CVS Health. Dr. Mesaros received his doctor of pharmacy from the Nesbitt School of Pharmacy at Wilkes University. He succeeds Dr. Goar Alvarez and is appointed for a term beginning November 9, 2017, and ending October 31, 2020.
David Wright, 53, of Fort Pierce, is the owner of Butterfield Pharmacy. Wright received his bachelor of pharmacy from the University of Kentucky. He succeeds Debra Glass and is appointed for a term beginning November 9, 2017, and ending October 31, 2019.
These appointments are subject to Senate confirmation.
Gov. Scott Appoints Patrice Vance to Florida Center for Nursing Board of Directors
Governor Rick Scott today announced the appointment of Patrice Vance to the Florida Center for Nursing Board of Directors.
Patrice Vance, 53, of Tampa, is the division vice president of clinical operations and quality for HCA West Florida Division. Vance received her master’s degree in nursing from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center. She succeeds Dora Krauss and is appointed for a term beginning November 9, 2017, and ending June 30, 2018.
Gov. Scott Reappoints Gary Wendt to Florida Polytechnic University Board of Trustees
Governor Rick Scott today announced the reappointment of Gary Wendt to the Florida Polytechnic University Board of Trustees.
Wendt, 75, of Ft. Lauderdale, currently serves as the Chairman of Deerpath Capital Management, LP. He received his bachelor’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and his master’s degree from Harvard University. Wendt is reappointed for a term beginning November 9, 2017, and ending June 30, 2022.
This appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
Gov. Scott Reappoints Joe Wright to South Florida State College District Board of Trustees
Governor Rick Scott today announced the reappointment of Joe Wright to the South Florida State College District Board of Trustees.
Wright, 61, of Avon Park, is the president of V. W. Farms, Inc. He received his bachelor’s, master’s and juris doctorate from the University of Florida. Wright is reappointed for a term beginning November 9, 2017, and ending May 31, 2019.
The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
Gov. Scott Reappoints Danny Ryals III to Chipola College District Board of Trustees
Governor Rick Scott today announced the reappointment of Daniel “Danny” Ryals to the Chipola College District Board of Trustees.
Ryals, 66, of Altha, is a broker with Danny Ryals Real Estate and the owner of R & R Warehouses. Ryals is reappointed for a term beginning November 9, 2017 and ending May 31, 2021.
The appointment is subject to confirmation by the Florida Senate.
Gov. Scott Reappoints Les Daniels to Health Care District of Palm Beach County
Governor Rick Scott today announced the reappointment of Les Daniels to the Health Care District of Palm Beach County.
Les Daniels, of Palm Beach, is the operating partner of AE Industrial Partners, LLC. Daniels received his bachelor’s degree in economics from Fordham University. He is reappointed for a term beginning November 9, 2017, and ending September 30, 2020.
Florida Board of Governors Gives FAMU Option to Forego National Presidential Search
The Florida State University System Board of Governors (BOG) voted to confirm the reappointment of Larry Robinson, Ph.D. as the interim president of Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University (FAMU) and also opened the door for the University’s Board of Trustees to appoint him as permanent president.
During its regular meeting, the State University System’s governing body unanimously approved a waiver of its presidential search process in response to a request from FAMU’s BOT Chairman Kelvin Lawson and the board of trustees. The waiver was requested in August after FAMU trustees voted 11-0 in favor of the move.
Lawson said, “I look forward to a healthy discussion with FAMU’s trustees when we meet November 29-30 in Tallahassee. We will take the next step at our meeting and make a firm decision to either appoint Dr. Robinson as permanent president or conduct a national search.”
Lawson added, “We are appreciative of the support of the Board of Governors. Their vote speaks to the quality leadership team that we’ve assembled.”
Robinson has served as FAMU’s interim president since September 15, 2016 and also served in the capacity from July 2012 to April 2014 and in 2007.
FAMU’s National Alumni Association President Lt. Col. Gregory L. Clark and FAMU Foundation Vice Chair Hosetta Coleman appeared before the BOG to elaborate on their respective boards’ decisions to support Robinson for permanent president.
Coleman said, “Dr. Robinson has demonstrated through his leadership the ability to put action behind his vision to strengthen FAMU’s intellectual capacity by focusing on student success, enriching academic programs and enhancing efficiency and effectiveness, which is in line with the Board of Governors’ Performance Metrics.”
Clark said “The energy at Florida A&M University is high. We have a highly functioning Board of Trustees, an engaged Foundation Board and a committed National Alumni Association, which are all energized by Dr. Robinson’s leadership style.”
Governor Alan Levine was among board members who commended Robinson’s leadership and track record.
Levine said, “I think he’s brought a lot of vision to the campus.”
Tallahassee attorney and governor Tim Cerio is a new appointee to the board.
“I think he’s (Robinson) done amazing things in a short amount of time. I have a lot of confidence in Dr. Robinson and what he’s going to do in the future.”
The BOG also reappointed FAMU Trustee and Board Vice Chair Kimberly Moore to FAMU’s BOT. She has served on the board since 2013.
Gov. Scott Applauds New Sanctions Against Maduro Regime
Governor Rick Scott today applauded the work of the Trump Administration on the announcement of new sanctions against ten Maduro government officials. Earlier this year, the SBA unanimously approved Governor Scott’s proposed resolution to prohibit the State of Florida from investments to benefit the Maduro regime. Currently, the Governor’s proposal to further this state policy has been filed in the Florida Legislature.
Governor Scott said, “For far too long, Nicolas Maduro has put his desire to stay in power above the needs of his people. I am glad that the Trump Administration has taken further action to hold this dictator and his regime accountable. As Maduro continues to brutally oppress the people of Venezuela, I will continue to do everything I can to help bring freedom and democracy to the millions of Venezuelans suffering at the hands of this ruthless dictator.
“In Florida, we’ve been clear that we stand in solidarity with the people of Venezuela who are struggling for their freedom. We have taken action to prohibit the state from making investments that benefit the Maduro regime, and we are working to make our recent action even stronger. We work relentlessly to shine a light on Maduro’s crimes against his people and the need for freedom and democracy in Venezuela. Today, we renew our call for Maduro to step down and completely release all political prisoners now.”
Board of Governors appoints university trustees
The Board of Governors today made the following appointments to boards of trustees across the State University System. Appointees were selected from a competitive field of applicants and are subject to attending a Board of Governors’ orientation, the Trustee Summit, and confirmation by the Florida Senate. All appointments are for five-year terms beginning Jan 6, 2018. The appointment term for Florida Polytechnic University begins November 9, 2017.
- Ms. Kimberly Moore was reappointed to the Florida A&M University Board of Trustees. She is the vice president for workforce innovation at Tallahassee Community College.
- Mr. Brent Burns was appointed to the Florida Atlantic University Board of Trustees. He is the president and chief operating officer of JM Family Enterprises, Inc.
- Mr. Richard Eide was appointed to the Florida Gulf Coast University Board of Trustees. He is the owner of Princess Palm Sales, LLC.
- Mr. Roger Tovar was appointed to the Florida International University Board of Trustees. He is the owner and CEO of Palmetto57 Auto Group, AMS Group, Chicagoland Restaurants, and Albany Auto Group.
- Dr. Louis Saco was appointed to the Florida Polytechnic University Board of Trustees. He is the CEO of Watson Clinic, LLP, chair of Watson Clinic Foundation Board of Directors, and medical director and member of Lakeland CEO and diagnostic center.
- Mr. Jim Henderson was appointed to the Florida State University Board of Trustees. He is past president and chief operating officer of Brown & Brown Insurance.
- Mr. George Skestos was reappointed to the New College of Florida Board of Trustees. He is founder of Homewood Corporation, Trinity Home Builders, and Franklin Bank.
- Ms. Beverly Seay was reappointed to the University of Central Florida Board of Trustees. She is executive director of the Nebraska Applied Research Institute.
- Dr. Anne Egan was appointed to the University of North Florida Board of Trustees. She is a pediatrician and partner at the Carithers Pediatric Group and section chief of pediatrics at St. Vincent’s Hospital.
- Ms. Suzanne Lewis was reappointed to the University of West Florida Board of Trustees. She is a management and leadership consultant and former superintendent of Yellowstone National Park.
DCF successfully serves more than a million families through federal disaster food assistance program
The Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) has administered the federal Disaster Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (DSNAP) in Florida for 45 consecutive days, serving more than a million families and distributing nearly $900 million in DSNAP benefits. As of November 7, DCF processed more than one million DSNAP applications, and DSNAP benefits were issued to 2.7 million individuals. Together with disaster food assistance provided through the regular SNAP program’s replacements and supplements, DCF has provided more than $1.35 billion in benefits that families can use right away.
“The federal DSNAP operation in Florida has been unprecedented in terms of the geographic scope, number of families served, and amount of benefits provided to help families recover from a devastating storm. This has by far been the largest DSNAP operation in the country. In 45 days, DCF has operated 50 different DSNAP sites for 213 operational days and served more than a million families. While an operation of this size has not been without challenges, we’re grateful that we have had the opportunity to help our neighbors and contribute to Florida’s recovery from Hurricane Irma,” said DCF Secretary Mike Carroll.
Public safety has been DCF’s first priority as we operated assistance sites throughout the state. DCF has partnered with and followed the direction of local law enforcement in every community to ensure the safety of those we are committed to serving. DCF defers to local law enforcement for all determinations related to traffic or public safety issues. DCF has aggressively pursued actions to ensure operations are as expeditious, safe, and efficient as possible. Following the conclusion of the Food for Florida program statewide, DCF will conduct a thorough after action review of all operations.
Important details are included below.
- On November 8, Secretary Carroll presented to the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Health and Human Services regarding DSNAP operations. Full video of the presentation is available here.
- DCF submitted the first request for disaster food assistance to the federal government on September 13, just three days after Hurricane Irma’s first impact to Florida.
- DCF sent a letter to the USDA on October 17 to request additional flexibility and resources in administering the federal DSNAP program in Florida.
- Read the FNS response to DCF here.
- Read DCF’s letter to the USDA regarding a waiver for the elderly and disabled populations here. This request is still pending.
- Statewide data on DSNAP by county as of November 7 is available here.
- Final data on all DSNAP operations will be posted next week.
- Today is the final day of federal DSNAP operations in Broward and Miami-Dade counties. DSNAP sites opened at the BB&T Center in Sunrise and Hard Rock Stadium in Miami Gardens on Tuesday, November 7. Preliminary data on operations at both sites is included below.
- Miami:
- 22,000 applications were processed on Tuesday
- 20,800 applications were processed on Wednesday
- More than 121,000 bottles of water have been distributed
- On Tuesday, DCF began serving individuals early at 6:15 am, and today at 5:30 am.
- More than 1,800 DCF and temporary staff are on site processing applications and supporting operations
- Broward:
- 17,000 applications were processed on Tuesday
- 23,000 applications were processed on Wednesday
- DCF has distributed more than 51,000 bottles of water. The United Way has also distributed more than 32,000 bottles of water.
- Today, DCF began serving individuals at 6:30 a.m.
- More than 1,100 DCF and temporary staff are on site processing applications and supporting operations
- Miami:
- Following the conclusion of DSNAP operations, any individuals who may be in need of assistance can apply through the regular public assistance program online at http://www.myflorida.com/accessflorida/.
- Assigned 750 staff from headquarters to support processing of applications
- Initially deployed more than 6,000 staff statewide to assist in operations and administration of this federal program, including nearly 1,500 temporary workers, to Food for Florida sites to process applications
- Deployed staff from the panhandle to support operations in affected counties
- Hired traffic control companies to aid with parking and traffic control
- Special accommodations have been available for the elderly and disabled. Onsite staff are working to monitor the population of those in lines to assist elderly and disabled residents to the front of the line. Those who need these accommodations should find staff to inquire about expedited service.
- Shuttled staff from remote locations to allow for more onsite parking
- Every site has distributed bottled water to individuals waiting in line on foot.
- DCF takes the responsibility to be good stewards of taxpayer money very seriously and investigates all instances of potential fraud. DCF’s Public Benefits Integrity (PBI) program has investigators on-site at each FFF location to review potentially fraudulent applicants and conduct investigations for profiles flagged as fraud-prone. PBI investigators are also monitoring social media sites for fraudulent sales of food assistance. Individuals who are found guilty of submitting false information on their application for D-SNAP benefits are subject to criminal prosecution and will be required to pay the money back. PBI on-site staff reviewed nearly 42,000 D-SNAP applications as of November 8 and have avoided issuing more than $13 million in fraudulent benefits.
In addition to DSNAP, DCF applied for federal food assistance program waivers for those receiving regular SNAP benefits and provided:
- Early release of food assistance benefits prior to Hurricane Irma making landfall to help families prepare
- Hot Foods Waiver, and a subsequent extension, to allow families to purchase prepared food with their EBT cards at participating retailers
- Extended the time frame to report food loss from 10 to 20 days
- Mass food assistance replacement benefits for September to SNAP recipients in 52 counties effected by Hurricane Irma
- Extended October SNAP recertification deadlines for three months
FDLE investigation leads to four arrests in scheme to sell property with sinkhole damage
An investigation led by the Tampa Bay Regional Operations Center, Brooksville Office, of the Florida Department of Law Enforcement has led to the arrest of four suspects on a charge of organized scheme to defraud relating to the sale of a home with sinkhole property damage.
Those arrested are: Clarence Surrena and Mary Surrena of 230 E. Panama Rd., Winter Springs; Karen Sherwin of 5230 Miller Bayou Dr., Port Richey; and Shawn Poole of 17529 Monteverde Dr., Spring Hill.
During the investigation, agents found that Clarence and Mary Surrena sold their home at 18735 Bonnie Drive, Spring Hill, in Pasco County, to a couple for $275,000. Prior to the closing, the Surrenas completed a Seller’s Disclosure Form on which they denied any sinkhole damage to their property. The Surrenas did acknowledge filing a sinkhole claim; however, they did not reveal the claim was paid. Although the Surrenas received $155,000 in October 2013 to fix the sinkhole, the money was not used for that purpose.
Both Karen Sherwin, the Surrenas’ realtor, and Shawn Poole, the buyers’ agent, were aware of the insurance claim and the incomplete Seller’s Disclosure Form. The buyers only became aware of the sinkhole after moving into their home when a representative of a home insurance company called to say the home could not be insured. The buyers believed they were insured at closing.
Clarence and Mary Surrena were both taken to the Seminole County Jail on $15,000 bond each; Karen Sherwin and Shawn Poole were both taken to the Pasco County Jail on $5,000 bond each.
The case will be prosecuted by the State Attorney’s Office, 6th Judicial Circuit.
Highlights: Board of Governors Meeting, November 8-9
Joined by U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta and three
new Board members, the Board of Governors this week took up
several important initiatives to advance the State University System.
The Board of Governors held its annual Trustee Summit this week and moved forward on several important proposals to push the State University System to the next level.
The Summit, an annual gathering of trustees from all 12 universities, included keynote speaker U.S. Labor Secretary Alexander Acosta, who spoke about student apprenticeships. Trustees and Board of Governors’ members also took part in discussions about improving student outcomes, enhancing engagement with the business community, and effective trusteeship.
The Board also selected Vice Chair Ned Lautenbach as its new chair and Governor Sydney Kitson as its vice chair for the term beginning January 1, 2018 and ending December 31, 2019. They will succeed Chair Thomas Kuntz, whose two-year tenure has resulted in great strides for the System, including in his key focus areas of aligning degrees with the state workforce, enhancing 2+2 articulation, and raising the State University System’s research profile. U.S. News & World Report also named Florida the 2017 Best State for Higher Education.
“The past two years have been extremely rewarding as we have seen many of our goals for the System come to fruition,” Chair Kuntz said. “Serving as chair has been a great honor, and I’m confident the Board’s new chair and vice chair will continue the System’s trajectory toward excellence.”
Additional meeting highlights include:
- The Board was joined by three new members. Governors Tim Cerio, Jay Patel, and Zach Zachariah were appointed recently by Governor Rick Scott.
- Board members appointed 10 new universities trustees, including Ms. Kimberly Moore, FAMU, Mr. Brent Burns, FAU, Mr. Richard Eide, FGCU, Mr. Roger Tovar, FIU, Dr. Louis Saco, Florida Poly, Mr. Jim Henderson, FSU, Mr. George Skestos, New College, Ms. Beverly Seay, UCF, Dr. Anne Egan, UNF, and Ms. Suzanne Lewis, UWF. Appointments are subject to attending Board of Governors’ orientation, the Trustee Summit, and confirmation by the Florida Senate.
- The Board approved a motion of support for FSU’s actions following last week’s student death, with the Board and universities reaffirming their commitment to work together and ensure that a campus culture of student safety and health is a top priority.
- Universities and colleges are successfully closing workforce gaps in high-demand areas through the Targeted Educational Grant Program, known as the TEAm Grant initiative. The four teams, made up of universities and colleges, have met their enrollment and graduation goals, demonstrating their commitment to being good stewards of taxpayer dollars and meeting the needs of the workforce. The program is funded through $15 million in competitive grants allocated by the Governor and Legislature to address the state’s job needs.
- The Board made updates to its performance funding model. The changes will take into account the cost for books when measuring average cost-to-the-student and changing the Board of Governors’ choice metric for UF, FSU and New College to the percentage of degrees awarded without excess credit hours.
- Universities shared their plans for increasing police officers and mental health services on campus as part of a systemwide effort to ensure student safety and make sure students have access to the resources they need.
- New College of Florida reported its progress on implementing its growth plan, which includes an enrollment increase to 1,200 students. The university received $5.4 million for the first installment of its plan during the 2016 legislative session.
- The Board heard a progress report on the implementation of the 2025 Strategic Plan for Online Education, which was initially approved in November of 2015.
- The Board approved its annual PECO list, with special priority on critical deferred maintenance.
- The Board confirmed the reappointment of Larry Robinson as Interim President of FAMU. Additionally, the Board granted FAMU’s request for a waiver from the Board of Governors’ guideline requiring a national presidential search.
For more information, consult the meeting’s official minutes at http://www.flbog.edu/. The Board’s next meeting is scheduled for January 24-25 at Florida State University in Tallahassee.
Statement by Commissioner Adam Putnam on Updated Citrus Crop Forecast
Florida Commissioner of Agriculture Adam H. Putnam released the following statement today after the U.S. Department of Agriculture released its monthly citrus crop forecast for the 2017-2018 season:
“Today’s lowered forecast shows that the damage to Florida citrus from Hurricane Irma is still unfolding, and it will continue to for some time. Florida’s growers need support and they need it fast. I will continue to work with Governor Scott and leaders in Washington to get Florida’s growers the support and relief they need to rebuild as quickly as possible.”
The USDA’s forecast today of 50 million boxes of oranges for the 2017-2018 season is down 4 million boxes from the October estimate.
In the wake of Hurricane Irma, Commissioner Putnam announced that Florida citrus sustained more than $760 million in damages. Commissioner Putnam also joined Governor Rick Scott in Washington D.C to discuss the agricultural damage and to request federal assistance with Florida’s Congressional Delegation.
For more information about the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services, visit FreshFromFlorida.com.
