In the days following the worst mass shooting in our country’s history, the City of Orlando established a family assistance center at Camping World Stadium to meet the profound needs of the victims and their families.  Over its eight days, that facility served 956 people from 298 families. 

Recognizing the magnitude of the long-term needs of victims, on June 22, the City of Orlando and Orange County opened the Orlando United Assistance Center (OUAC) at 507 East Michigan Street. 

The OUAC staffs victim advocates who have access to a diverse network of mental health providers across Central Florida to assist victims with their recovery needs. In addition to connecting victims to specialized mental health providers, advocates also provide referrals for housing and rental assistance, emergency financial assistance, employment, training and educational opportunities.

The City and County partnered with Heart of Florida United (HFUW) to manage the daily operations of the OUAC.  HFUW is able to utilize their vast network of partners in the nonprofit sector to address the variety of needs of those impacted by the tragedy quickly and efficiently connect those in need to the resources available.

To date, the OUAC has taken more than 1700 calls and more than 760 appointments have been made, with the average case load for each advocate being 70 victims. Ongoing needs continue for survivors, which include mental health and psychiatry services, immigration legal services, emergency financial assistance, and medical provider and pharmacy assistance.

To meet the ongoing needs of Pulse victims and based on recommendations from the US Department of Justice, this agenda item provides funding to the HFUW to continue to administer and operate the OUAC for an additional 12 month period, from January 1, 2017 through December 31, 2017.  The cost to operate the OUAC is approximately $80,677 per month.   To offset the costs of operating the OUAC, the City through the State of Florida Office of Victim Assistance is applying for funding for these services from the U.S. Department of Justice Antiterrorism Emergency Assistance Program (AEAP). 

Approve the attached draft Subrecipent Agreement with HFUW and authorize the City’s Chief Procurement Officer to execute the Agreement, subject to approval by the City Attorney’s Office.