**OCSE Child Access & Visitation Program Name of State: District of
Columbia**

**Part I: Contact Information**

-   Name of State Program Contact Philip L. Browning, Director

-   Name of Designated State Agency Office of the Corporation Counsel

> District of Columbia

-   Street Address 441 4^th^ Street, N. W.

-   City, State, & Zipcode Washington, D.C., 20001-2714

-   Telephone no. (202) 724-2131

-   E-mail Address dcivd_browning@hotmail.com

-   Fax no. (202) 724-3710

## 

## Part II: Statistical Profile 

-   Total no. of minor children under 18 years

> of age living with one biological parent 61,788
>
> (1990 U.S. Census data)

## Part III: Previous and Current Year Funding Levels

**[Federal \$ Grant]{.underline} [State \$ Match]{.underline} and
[Percentage]{.underline}**

-   FFY 1997 \$ 50,000 \$ 5,556 10%

-   FFY 1998 \$ 50,000 \$ 5,556 10%

-   FFY 1999 \$ 100,000 \$ 11,111 10%

-   FFY 2000 \$ 100,000 \$ 11,111 10%

Page 2 -- Child Access & Visitation (District of Columbia)

## 

## Part IV: Summary of State's Proposed Use of FFY 2000 Grant Funds

**[Yes]{.underline} [No]{.underline}**

#### Process for Awarding Funds: 

#### Request for Proposals 

#### (new & continuation)

-   **New only**

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-   **Continuation only** X

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-   **Other\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_**

**Time of Year RFP's are Issued and/or Funding Decisions Are Made:**

Fall \_\_\_\_\_ Winter \_\_\_\_\_ Spring \_\_\_\_\_ Summer \_\_\_\_\_

**Award of Funds:** Grants \_\_\_\_\_ Contracts \_\_\_\_\_ Cooperative
Agreements \_\_X\_\_\_

**[Targeted Priority Areas]{.underline}:**

-   **Mediation**

voluntary **Yes \_\_\_\_\_ No \_\_X\_\_\_**

mandatory **Yes \_\_\_\_\_ No \_\_X\_\_\_**

-   **Counseling Yes \_\_\_\_\_ No \_\_X\_\_\_**

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-   **Education Yes \_\_\_\_\_ No \_\_X\_\_\_**

-   **Parenting Plans Yes \_\_\_\_\_ No \_\_X\_\_\_**

-   **Visitation Enforcement**

monitoring **Yes \_\_X\_\_\_ No \_\_\_\_\_**

supervision **Yes \_\_X\_\_\_ No \_\_\_\_\_**

neutral drop-off/pick-up **Yes \_\_X\_\_\_ No \_\_\_\_\_**

Page 3 -- Child Access & Visitation (District of Columbia)

-   **Development of Guidelines**

> Visitation **Yes \_\_\_\_\_ No \_\_X\_\_\_**
>
> Alternative custody arrangements **Yes \_\_\_\_\_ No \_\_X\_\_\_**

**Summary Narrative: Proposed Use of FFY 2000 Funds**

The Child Support Enforcement Division, District of Columbia's Office of
the Corporation Counsel, proposes to use the FFY 2000 Child Access and
Visitation Grant funds to provide supervised visitation services through
the District's Superior Court, and, in part, the Children Right's
Council. Shortly after the establishment of the Domestic Violence Unit
in 1966, the District's Supreme Court recognized the need for a
supervised visitation center for domestic violence cases. As a result,
the Supervised Visitation Center was established and has been funded via
Federal Child A & V Grant funds since its inception in July 1998. The
Center serves the dual role of protecting the safety of the child
[and]{.underline} the custodial parent while preserving the right of the
non-custodial parent to visit the child. During 1999, court referrals of
domestic violence cases to the Supreme Court's Supervised Visitation
Center have increased significantly. There were 179 intake interviews
conducted in this one year alone. Furthermore, 271 supervised visits
were held and there were 292 exchanges, totaling 563 contacts. A total
of 105 children were served.

In order to address the visitation needs of families who are not in the
domestic violence court system, the D. C. Chapters of the Children's
Rights Council provide supervised visitation services to children of
unwed, separated, and divorced parents including children in abuse and
neglect cases. The services include visitation monitoring, neutral
drop-off and pick-up services, and the development of parenting plans
and guidelines for visitation. The Children's Rights Council also
operates a telephone hotline that enables individuals to obtain
information on custody, access, mediation, parenting education, and
referral services.

The D. C. Superior Court proposes to use \$89,856 of the Federal A & V
grant to fund 5 positions at the Superior Court Supervised Visitation
Center. The remaining \$21,256 will be used to partially fund the
hotline operated by the Children's Rights Council and the supervised
visitation services provided by the D. C. Chapter of the Children's
Rights Council.

Page 4 -- Child Access & Visitation (District of Columbia)

## Part V: Projects Funded by States with FFY 98 OCSE Dollars

# 

**Grantee Name, Address Amount of Award & Number of Parents Served:**

& Phone Number Services Provided Total \# \# fathers \# mothers

  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------
  1\. D. C. Superior      \$55,555                158 79 79
  Court                                           

  2\.                                             

  3\.                                             

  4\.                                             

  5\.                                             

  6\.                                             

                                                  
  ----------------------- ----------------------- -----------------------

Page 5 -- Child Access & Visitation (District of Columbia)

# Participant Data: Part A

(by income and marital status)

**Grantee Name & Average Annual Parent Participation Rates:**

#### Program Title Income 

####  divorced separated unwed

  ---------------- ------------ -------------- -------------- --------------
  1\. DC Superior               9%             29%            62%
  Court                                                       

  2\.                                                         

  3\.                                                         

  4\.                                                         

  5\.                                                         

  6\.                                                         
  ---------------- ------------ -------------- -------------- --------------

Page 6 -- Child Access & Visitation (District of Columbia)

# Participant Data: Part B

(by race/ethnicity**)**

**Grantee Name [RACIAL / ETHNIC BREAKOUT:]{.underline}**

**White Black Hispanic Asian Native Pacific**

**American Islander**

  ----------------- -------- --------- --------- -------- -------- --------
  **1. DC Superior  **4%**   **80%**   **9%**    **1%**            **6%**
  Court**                                                          

  **2.**                                                           

  **3.**                                                           

  **4.**                                                           

  **5.**                                                           

  **6.**                                                           

                                                                   
  ----------------- -------- --------- --------- -------- -------- --------

#### Don't Know \_\_\_\_\_\_ Other, \_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_\_ 

Page 7 -- Child Access & Visitation (District of Columbia)

# Sources of Client Referral

**GRANTEE**

> Self-Referral TANF Child Welfare Child Support Social Services Courts
> Private Agency

+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| 1\.    |        |        |        |        |        | X      |        |
|        |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
| DC     |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
| Su     |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
| perior |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
| Court  |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| 2\.    |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| 3\.    |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| 4\.    |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| 5\.    |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+
| 6\.    |        |        |        |        |        |        |        |
+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+--------+