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At the last Maricopa Association of Governments (MAG) Human Services Coordinating Committee meeting, we discussed progress made by the Municipal Aging Services Project. We have convened hundreds of people to explore how the needs of people aged 65 years and more can be met more effectively. It is refreshing to have so many talented people working together. How we care for our elders is a value I hold dear. I learned growing up that it takes strong families to build strong communities. In my home, every member of the family is supported in all stages of their life. In our work, we build strong communities in which every person has a vital role.
 The MAG Municipal Aging Services Project is grounded in the idea that older adults add value to our community. Interviews, focus groups, and surveys with more than 1,000 older adults developed the priorities for this project. This dialogue will turn from analysis to action at the regional forum, Planning the Next 100 Years, on February 15th at the Phoenix Convention Center. The forum will result in a model that can be used when planning aging services. We are thankful to the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust for its support of this work. I hope you will join us in developing what our communities will look like in the years ahead. We have much to be proud of in years past. We have much to do in the future to ensure people can thrive at every age.
If we can support families, we can strengthen communities. This means giving people the tools they need to keep all members in the family safe and stable. For some, this means a good job. For others, it requires assistance to remain in their homes and age in place. In the City of Phoenix and throughout the region, we are working to help people help themselves. Given the current fiscal constraints, it is critical to explore how people's needs can be met more efficiently. People needing assistance very often know what needs to be done. This makes it very important to reach out and involve the community.
In our homes, cities, and region, we all have the opportunity to make a difference in someone's life. By working together, we have a viable way to create a lasting impact. Thank you for all you have done in years past to support families and build strong communities. Please consider what impact you can have in 2012.
The Honorable Michael Nowakowski
City of Phoenix, Councilmember
MAG Human Services Coordinating
Committee, Chair
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Region Planning for the Next 100 Years
On February 15, 2012, approximately 200 people will collaboratively plan how communities will meet the needs of people aged 65 years and more as part of the MAG Municipal Aging Services Project. This regional forum, Planning the Next 100 Years, is the culmination of the months of intensive community engagement activities designed to identify the priorities and concerns of the region's older adults. Sponsored by the Virginia G. Piper Charitable Trust, the project will result in the development of a model local governments can use cooperatively with an array of talented partners dedicated to this work. With projected surges in the aging population and significantly reduced budgets, the challenge is to discover new ways of maintaining people's safety and dignity with fewer resources.
 MAG was notified of the funding award to support this project by the Piper Trust on February 14, 2011. One year later, more than 1,000 people have engaged in this project through interviews, focus groups, and a scientifically valid survey. This outreach has resulted in the identification of seven priority areas including access to resources, exploring one's future, intergenerational programming, safety, senior centers, transportation, and volunteering. These are all aspects of the project's two main areas of focus, transportation and social participation. The ability to travel and interact with others in the community are foremost in people's minds, according to the community outreach conducted for the project. Local and national best practices will be featured in workshops during the regional forum. Interactive dialogue in the afternoon will identify concrete strategies to fully integrate these best practices into the local service delivery. A model will be developed on the basis of these activities and implemented in communities throughout the region.
The day's discussion will be enhanced by the expertise of Kathryn Lawler, formerly the Director of Aging Atlanta and currently the external affairs manager for the Atlanta Regional Commission. Her experience includes bringing together diverse groups to proactively address the needs of aging populations from a variety of different perspectives including transportation, land use, workforce, healthcare, and housing. Her focus on health and housing as a Harvard University fellow led to the modernizing long-term care systems. A host of additional local experts will spearhead discussions in workshops throughout the day.
Please join the region's leaders in aging on February 15th from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m. at the Phoenix Convention Center's North Building. The event is free, including a light breakfast, lunch, and parking. Registration for the event is nearly at capacity.
Please contact Rachel Brito at rbrito@azmag.gov or (602) 254-6300 for more information or to register. Additional information is available here.
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Domestic Violence Efforts Receive Critical Funding
The MAG Regional Domestic Violence Council rang in the New Year with grant funding to support the Protocol Evaluation Project. Thanks to a new STOP Grant through the Governor's Office, more than 500 law enforcement officers, prosecutors, and victim advocates will continue evaluating the criminal justice system's response to domestic violence. The goal is to increase consistency in how domestic violence crimes are handled.
 The Protocol Evaluation Project will expand to address misdemeanor and felony-level domestic violence crimes. The misdemeanor protocol model, developed during the project's first year, will be updated to reflect the latest research on successful practices. Community partners will evaluate the implementation of felony-level domestic violence protocols and identify opportunities for increasing adherence to these recommended practices. Training resources will be developed to align the region's response to domestic violence crimes. In addition, the project will explore opportunities for collecting and analyzing data to ensure this work is making a difference in keeping more victims safe and holding more abusers accountable.
The Protocol Evaluation Project's success depends on communication and close collaboration among law enforcement, prosecutors, victim advocates, and survivors of domestic violence. The project will utilize strategies for building and maintaining these connections. Small group discussions among peers in the same profession, referred to as affinity group meetings, will be conducted to encourage open dialogue and in-depth discussions. Larger stakeholder groups will be held for broader participation. These conversations will guide refinement of the misdemeanor protocol model and identify areas where more training is needed. Training resources will be developed to ensure misdemeanor and felony protocols are being implemented in the field.
The Protocol Evaluation Project embarks on its second year with overwhelming community support. Twenty project partners signed a Memorandum of Understanding or provided letters of support for the STOP Grant application. They are Arizona Coalition Against Domestic Violence; Arizona Criminal Justice Commission; Arizona Peace Officers Standards and Training Board; Arizona Prosecuting Attorney's Advisory Council; City of Apache Junction Police Department; City of Avondale Police Department; Town of Buckeye Police Department; City of El Mirage Police Department; City of Gilbert Police Department; Glendale City Court; Maricopa County Prosecutor's Office; City of Mesa Prosecutor's Office; City of Peoria Police Department; City of Phoenix Police Department, Prosecutor's Office, and Family Advocacy Center; City of Scottsdale Prosecutor's Office; Sojourner Center; Southwest Family Advocacy Center; and City of Tolleson Police Department.
During its first year, the Protocol Evaluation Project evaluated the practices used by law enforcement and prosecutors when handling misdemeanor domestic violence crimes. A protocol inventory revealed significant inconsistencies in the region's response to misdemeanor domestic violence crimes. An assessment of local and national best practices informed development of a new misdemeanor domestic violence protocol model. Training materials created to help put model practices into place include an outreach video, a training video, and a webinar series. These resources are available on the MAG website at this link.
For more information about the project, please contact Renae Tenney, MAG Human Services Planner I, at rtenney@azmag.gov or (602) 254-6300.
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Efforts to Improve the Regional Homeless Street Count
 The MAG Continuum of Care Regional Committee on Homelessness is launching efforts to create a new and improved homeless street count methodology. Members of the Continuum of Care, as well as street count coordinators from across the region, will be joining together to conduct an analysis of national best practices with the goal of using successful practices to refine our local methodology. Because of the effort being made toward refining methodology, the Continuum of Care Committee has decided not to conduct the homeless street count this January. The annual homeless shelter count will take place as planned but the next homeless street count will not take place until January 29, 2013. It is the Continuum's goal that planning efforts will result in a homeless street count that will be the best reflection of street homelessness possible within the region.
Since 2002, the MAG Continuum of Care Regional Committee on Homelessness has led efforts to conduct an annual homeless street count. Conducting the homeless street count enables the region to apply for and receive federal McKinney-Vento homeless assistance funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The region has received more than $240 million from HUD to provide transitional shelter, permanent supportive housing and supportive services to help men, women, and children experiencing homelessness.
The Continuum of Care Committee acknowledges and thanks all of the dedicated street count coordinators and volunteers who have participated in the homeless street count in the past. We hope to partner with you during this planning process and once again in 2013 as we reach out to the community for volunteers to conduct our revamped street count.
If you are interested in participating in the planning efforts to improve on the street count, your involvement is appreciated. Please contact Brande Mead, MAG Human Services Program Manager, at bmead@azmag.gov.
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Upcoming Events
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Committee Meetings
For more upcoming MAG meetings, please check the Web site www.azmag.gov for more details.
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FEBRUARY
Thursday, February 2, 2012 1:30 - 3:00 p.m.
MAG Regional Domestic Violence Council
MAG Saguaro Room, second floor
302 N 1st Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003
Contact: Renae Tenney, (602) 452-5041, Renae Tenney
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Thursday, February 9, 2012, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.MAG Human Services Technical Committee MAG Chaparral Room, second floor 302 N 1st Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003 Contact: Amy St. Peter, (602) 452-5049, Amy St. Peter
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Monday, February 13, 2012 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.MAG Continuum of Care Planning Subcommittee MAG Chaparral Room, second floor 302 N 1st Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003 Contact: Brande Mead, (602) 452-5060, Brande Mead
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Wednesday, February 22, 2012, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.Elderly & Persons with Disabilities Transportation Ad Hoc Committee MAG Chaparral Room, second floor 302 N 1st Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003 Contact: DeDe Gaisthea, (602) 452-5062, DeDe Gaisthea
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MARCH
Thursday, March 8, 2012, 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
MAG Human Services Technical Committee
MAG Chaparral Room, second floor
302 N 1st Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003
Contact: Amy St. Peter, (602) 452-5049, Amy St. Peter
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Monday, March 12, 2012 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.MAG Continuum of Care Planning Subcommittee MAG Chaparral Room, second floor 302 N 1st Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003 Contact: Brande Mead, (602) 452-5060, Brande Mead
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Wednesday, March 21, 2012, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m.Elderly & Persons with Disabilities Transportation Committee MAG Cholla Room, second floor 302 N 1st Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85003 Contact: DeDe Gaisthea, (602) 452-5062, DeDe Gaisthea
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Events
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Wednesday, February 15, 2012, 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.MAG Municipal Aging Services – Planning for the Next 100 Years Forum Phoenix Convention Center, North Building 100 North 3rd Street, Phoenix, AZ 85004 Contact: Amy St. Peter, (602) 452-5049, Amy St. Peter To register, contact: Rachel Brito, Rachel Brito
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