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SEP 2 4 1990 <br />OF TWO LIFE FELONIES. <br />BOOK 4 PAGE -629 <br />HE INFORMED THE BOARD THAT THEY HAVE SET UP <br />SUCH A TEAM IN ST. LUCIE COUNTY ON A VOLUNTEER BASIS AND FEEL THEY <br />NOW HAVE REACHED THE POINT WHERE THEY NEED TO HIRE A PROFESSIONAL <br />COORDINATOR TO WORK WITH THE VOLUNTEERS. STATE ATTORNEY STONE REPORTED <br />THAT ST. LUCIE COUNTY HAS AGREED TO CONTRIBUTE $9,500 OF THE $25,000 <br />NEEDED; MARTIN COUNTY WILL CONTRIBUTE $6,750; THEY ARE GOING TO ASK <br />OKEECHOBEE COUNTY FOR $2,500; AND ARE REQUESTING $6,250 FROM INDIAN <br />RIVER COUNTY. HE THEN INTRODUCED MISS HARRIET ROWE, WHO WORKS WITH <br />SUCH A PROGRAM IN PALM BEACH COUNTY. <br />COMMISSIONER WODTKE QUESTIONED MISS ROWE AS TO HOW THIS <br />PROGRAM WORKS IN PALM BEACH COUNTY - WHETHER THEY COORDINATE WITH THE <br />MENTAL HEALTH BOARD - WHY THEY WORK WITH THE STATE ATTORNEY? <br />MISS ROWE EXPLAINED THIS IS A VICTIM ADVOCATE PROGRAM; <br />THEY REPRESENT THE VICTIM S INTERESTS. THEY SIDE WITH THE VICTIM <br />ON WHAT THEY WANT TO D0, BUT THE VICTIM NEEDS THE INFORMATION TO MAKE <br />THAT DECISION AND NEEDS THIS FROM PROFESSIONALS WHO CAN TELL THEM <br />HOW THEY WILL BE TREATED, THEY HAVE FOUND IT IS IMPORTANT TO <br />COORDINATE THE SERVICES SO THERE IS NO DUPLICATION, AND THEY DO <br />COORDINATE WITH MENTAL HEALTH IN THE LONG TERM WORK THAT NEEDS TO BE <br />DONE. THEY ALSO HAVE A HOT LINE WHERE PEOPLE CALL IN WHO DONT WANT <br />TO GO TO THE POLICE, AND MISS ROWE INFORMED THE BOARD THAT HER <br />ORGANIZATION HAS BEEN ABLE TO PERSUADE APPROXIMATELY 95% TO GO TO <br />THE POLICE. SHE CONTINUED THAT SHE WORKS FOR THE COUNTY COMMISSIONERS <br />OF PALM BEACH COUNTY, WHO NOW HAVE ASSUMED THEIR COMPLETE BUDGET, <br />WHICH AMOUNTS TO $88,000 YEARLY. <br />STATE ATTORNEY STONE NOTED THAT ONE OF THE PROBLEMS HERE <br />IS THAT THIS IS A FOUR COUNTY AREA. <br />COMMISSIONER WODTKE ASKED IF THEY HAVE SOME IDEA WHERE THE <br />PROGRAM ULTIMATELY IS GOING TO END UP AND WHETHER THERE IS ANY <br />POSSIBLE PLACE FOR STATE FUNDING. <br />STATE ATTORNEY STONE BELIEVED THIS PROGRAM IS BEST SERVED <br />WITH VOLUNTARY HELP AND A COORDINATOR, AND THEY DON T INTEND TO <br />ESTABLISH A HUGE STAFF AND BECOME A BIG BUREAUCRATIC AGENCY. HE <br />42 <br />