04-10-1995 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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Status Report on Adult and Children’s Shelters for Victims of Abuse February 6, 1995 Page 3 of 5 II. Background Information on Shelter (review of pertinent legislation, licensing requirements, non-profit status, other agencies involv ed with needs of victims of abuse) The Orono staff and contributing speakers confirm that there is no specific legislation providins guidelines or standards for the operation of a shelter. If the shelter was to receive funds from a private or governmental agency, as would other crisis agencies, all would follow the typical guidelines; none are specifically related to a shelter. None of the governmental or private agencies require inspections of shelters except for the Hen^iepin County Environmental Health Department who will inspect the shelter to review the method of food maintenance and preparation. Review E.xhibit N, the application for the designation of a battered women s shelter provided by the Minnesota Department of Corrections. Note Page 4 of that application has a very brief list of guidelines for the operation of shelters. The other standards or guidelines within the application form are typical for all crisis or advocacy agencies. The Minnesota Association of Battered Women’s Shelters is a loose confederation of the 20 Minnesota shelters who establish standards for the training of volunteers who make up the majority of the staffs for shelters. There are no other shelters within the seven cities served by the Westonka Intervention Project but other agencies such churches. West Hennepin Human Services, Interfaith Outreach and Mental Health Clinics provide counseling and advocacy assistance within the defined service area. Westonka is a non-profit charitable corporation quite typical of the status of other independent shelters. There are 20 similar shelters within the state of Minnesota, refer to Exhibit M. All shelters must submit annual budgets to the Department of Corrections. The Department reviews the budgets, security and safety aspects of the facilities and formal written procedures for communication with the local police departments served in their districts. In 1990, enforcement agencies such as the Orono Police were required to develop a policy for the handling of all domestic abuse cases and to report such cases to the Minnesota Department of Corrections on a regular basis. Review Exhibits Q and P. As Westonka is a non-charitable corporation, they would also be responsible for filing their operating budget with the Attorney General’s Office and the Internal Revenue Service each year. No site inspection by any Federal. State or County agency is required for shgltsis.