Funding Issues in Midwest Case Management: A Capstone Project in Criminal Justice, Exams of Nursing

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SNHU CAPSTONE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (CJ480) - Q

FINAL PROJECT: FUNDING ISSUES MIDWEST CASE

MANAGEMENT 2025

SNHU CAPSTONE IN CRIMINAL JUSTICE (CJ480) - Q

FINAL PROJECT: FUNDING ISSUES MIDWEST CASE

MANAGEMENT 2025

Outline I. Introduction II. Milestone One a. Agency Selection b. Issue Identification c. Issue Overview d. Demographics of Community e. Issue Impact III. Milestone Two a. Overview of the Community and Need b. Communication with Agency c. Gathering Community Information (Methodology) d. Literature Review i. Challenges and Promising Practices of Financial Sustainability in Nonprofit Organizations ii. Public Funding and its Impact on Nonprofit Advocacy iii. Fundraisers Who Use Academic Research Do Better, Study Find iv. How Do Nonprofits Win Foundation Grants? v. Unforeseen Consequences: Medicaid and the Funding of Nonprofit Service Organizations. e. Need Analysis i. Magnitude of Issue ii. Resources and Intervention iii. Impact of Resources and Intervention v. Obstacles IV. Milestone Three a. Setting up the Research Plan i. Research Question ii. Scientific Method iii. Criminal Justice Theories iv. Ensuring Ethical Policing Strategies and Protecting the Rights of Citizens v. Impact on Organizational Culture of the CJ Organization vi. Evaluating the Impact of Emerging Technologies on Crime Investigation and Operations b. The Research Plan i. Statement of Need ii. Program Recommendations iii. Goals and Objectives iv. Staffing/Administration/Resource Needs v. Evaluation Plan V. Conclusion VI. Appendix VII. Personal and Professional Reflection a. Capstone Experience b. Significance of Capstone c. Conclusion between Capstone and Academic Program

d. Globalization of crime e. Evaluate Transitional Criminal Enterprise VIII. References

and anger management courses to those who have become involved in the legal system and wish to obtain the best outcome for themselves and their families” (MCM, [Facebook], n.d.). Issue Identification Although MCM deals with the occasional juvenile truancy and alcohol related cases, the majority of people who are seen at MCM are for drug/substance abuse by court order. “Substances, such as drugs and alcohol are an overwhelming epidemic right now” (P.R. Dawalt, personal communication, July 2, 2019). Hirsch (2018) reported that charges of drug dealing, including cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana, increased 68 percent in 2017 over 2016 in Madison County. Issue Overview The abuse of Methamphetamine, Heroine, and Cocaine leads to criminal behavior within Anderson, IN such as robbery, burglary, and petty theft. According to the Uniform Crime Reporting (UCR) Program (2018) for the year 2017, Anderson had 101 robbery offenses, 408 burglary offenses, 224 motor vehicle theft offenses, and 1,786 larceny offenses. It was reported the number of criminal trespass increased 85 percent and the number of theft charges increased 5.7 percent (Hirsch, 2018). According to the City of Anderson homepage (n.d.) the Madison County Drug Task Force is a combined effort between the Anderson Police Department and the Madison County Sheriff’s Department. Their goal is to identify and prosecute high-level drug traffickers in the community. Community Demographics According to the United States Census Bureau (2018) Anderson, IN has a population of 55,037 residents. Fifty-one percent of those identify as female. There are 3,923 veterans residing

in Anderson. Seventy-nine percent of Andersons’ population is Caucasian, thirteen percent are Black/African American, five percent Hispanic/Latino, and four percent identify with another race. The average annual household income in 2017 was $34,693 with 25.8% of its residents living in poverty. According to Best Places (n.d) Anderson has an unemployment rate of 4.2% while the US average unemployment rate is 3.9%. The average resident income in Anderson is 518,366 a year while the US average is $28,555 a year. Issue Impact The biggest impact on the community is that families are breaking up over the abuse of Methamphetamine, Heroine, and Cocaine. Children are placed into foster care with visitation being supervised. Children who are placed into foster care end up being adopted, living with other family members, or in the system until they reach eighteen. In the community of Anderson, there is little support for those who engage in the use of drugs and alcohol. The community sees the use of drugs and alcohol as a choice and not a disease. Another impact is the lack of funds to enter into rehabilitation programs. Since MCM is an educational program and not a treatment facility, they are not covered by insurance, which means most clients have to pay out of pocket to attend. Overview of Community and Need Anderson, IN located in Madison County has been greatly affected by substance abuse. Substances such as Methamphetamine, Heroine, and Cocaine have increased within the past few years. Hirsch (2018) reported that charges of drug dealing, including cocaine, methamphetamine, heroin, and marijuana, increased 68 percent in 2017 over 2016 in Madison County. Madison County’s Drug Task force is a combined effort between the Madison County Sheriff’s

The agency typically serves clients between the ages of 18 and 60, although they have seen clients as young as eight when dealing with truancy. The majority of MCM’s clients are between the ages of 20 and 30. Occasionally MCM will have clients who are middle to upper class females who get caught while driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. Typically most of their clients are from low income households, are underemployed, or jump from friend to friends’ house to sleep (no real home). Since MCM is an educational program and not a therapy center they are not covered by insurance. Most clients pay out of pocket to attend which can be costly and unattainable. “The one program that is covered by insurance is Prime Solutions. It is a therapeutic program within the agency” (P.R. Dawalt, personal communication, July 2, 2019). The main issue surrounding MCM pertains to finances. The lack of finances prevents MCM from being able to hire qualified staff, such as a social worker or LMHC. If MCM could hire a licensed therapist they would be covered by insurance which would allow them to see and help more individuals. Without insurance coverage, low income families may not be able to receive the help they need, thus resorting to crimes to support their addiction. MCM is in need of grant money and/or contributions to assist them in hiring a licensed therapist(s) in order to be covered by insurance. Communication with the Agency Dr. Phillip R. Dawalt, director of MCM, was my agency contact. I first obtained a COCE research study agreement as well as having Dr. Dawalt sign an interview consent form prior to communication. All information between Dr. Dawalt was via personal communication (email) from July 2-7, 2019. Dr. Dawalt expressed that the main issue that is affecting MCM is the lack of funding to hire additional staff, to include a licensed therapist. The lack of a licensed therapist is denying MCM of insurance coverage. He also stressed that they do not always get referrals

from the court or support from the community. MCM has conducted their own research to ensure their programs meet the demands and needs of their clients.. Gathering Community Information (Methodology) After gathering information about MCM from Dr. Dawalt via personal communication, a brief literature review was conducted to identify methods of meeting the identified community need. The research method was chosen to accommodate a limited period to conduct, compile, and submit research as well as having limited access to public statistical data. First, I searched the Southern New Hampshire University (SNHU) Shapiro Library Database using the following search criteria: Nonprofit Organizations, Sustainability of Nonprofit Organizations, Fundraising within Nonprofit Organizations, and Challenges within Nonprofit Organizations. I limited my search criteria to the years 2009-2019 (10 years) and to peer-reviewed scholarly articles in Academic Journals. The database was limited, but produced some peer-reviewed Academic Journals. Second, I searched the internet using Google Scholar with the same criteria as stated above. The search produced a number of peer-reviewed scholarly articles. I also searched for grants available to nonprofit agencies through a Google. The search provided web pages showing available grants to nonprofit organizations. I rejected any webpage that did not include .gov, .org, or .edu. Literature Review Article i. Key sustainability challenges that are common among nonprofits, and promising practices to address those issues and challenges were identified. The following issues were discussed about those challenges: (1) reliance on external funding, (2) the nonprofit “brand,” (3)

this by thinking more creatively about their fundraising strategies and consider the role of nontraditional philanthropic organizations or individuals. Third, foster relationships with investors. Keep an open line of communication with investors and know what they expect to see from their investment. Fourth, develop and define the organizational mission. A brand embodies a set of characteristics that individuals external to the organization believe will be delivered consistently, and it can convey a nonprofits position in the community as well as the general market (Sontag-Padilla, Staplefoot, & Morganti, 2012). Lastly, develop a marketing plan. Marketing for nonprofit organizations offers the opportunity to define what makes the organization distinctive, what the organization is known for, and why its work is relevant (Sontag-Padilla, Staplefoot, & Morganti, 2012). Article ii. There has been a long-standing discussion about nonprofit organizations’ (NPOs) and the dependency on their public funding and the consequences of their advocacy role. The study investigates the impact of public funding and its extent on nonprofit engagement in advocacy. The study draws on resource dependency theory and from a quantitative survey. Scholars and practitioners fear that nonprofit organizations (NPOs) will feel pressure on their political activities if they accept public funds—and, as a consequence, will reduce or even abandon advocacy (Neumayr, Schneider, & Meyer, 2015). There are two main lines of arguments with regards to the impact of public funding on nonprofit engagement in advocacy. The first draws on resource dependency theory. It implies that NPOs that receive public funding will eventually reduce their advocacy activities or even refrain from them altogether for fear of losing their funding. The second posits precisely the reverse effect, that is, the nonprofits who receive public funding will increase their engagement

in advocacy (Neumayr et al., 2015). The studies showed that government funding was positively associated with advocacy. The study’s results contradicted the widespread assumption that public funding suppresses nonprofits’ engagement in advocacy. Article iii. Half of the nonprofits in the nation use some type of research or scientific study before fundraising. Those groups that do those studies typically raise more money than those who don’t. Organizations that reported an uptick in donations-29 percent of the total-were more likely to regularly evaluate their fundraising methods than those who didn't (Anft, 2015). It was also noted that those nonprofits that sometimes performed evaluations that incorporated scientific findings also were more likely to report an increase in donations. The Science of Philanthropy Institute, a research center that operates out of the University of Chicago, found that one of every two organizations reported it lacked staff members who have studied research methods (Anft, 2015). Nonprofits with annual budgets of less than $250,000 did not have someone on hand knowledgeable of the scientific method, unlike larger ones. Edith Dobez, executive director of the Science of Philanthropy Institute stated while larger organizations are starting to look at science when they make their fundraising decisions; smaller ones have a long way to go (Anft, 2015). Nonprofit organizations of all sizes should not only use studies conducted by academic researchers, but to design their own experiments. Those experiments should include trying different fundraising techniques and then measuring what works the best. Article iv. A study was conducted to see which nonprofits were best positioned to receive money from foundations and why. Also, what approach do successful grant recipients take to raise funds

debt. The healthiest nonprofits are the ones that have a diversified revenue stream and aren’t overly dependent on any one funding source (Drtina & Meyer, 2014). The majority of those who responded to the survey considered that debt ratios and revenue diversification ratios to be reliable indicators of organizational performance. Large and small foundations do view the reliability of financial ratios differently. Most notable is how the majority of small foundations see spending for administration, fundraising, and program expenses as being reliable indicators of organizational performance while their counterparts do not. It was also noted that larger foundations have the ability to look into the operating efficiency and effectiveness of grant applicants. Grants are more likely to be approved to nonprofits if they are aware of the factors that will reject a grant application. The majority of foundations view debt and cash flow as items of importance in their decisions (Drtina and Meyer, 2014). High debt ratio was seen as a financial stress, and cash flow ranked right below that. Surprisingly, poor revenue diversification was found to be more important than spending ratios. The end result is that small foundations are more likely than large foundations to deny grants based on low program expense or fundraising efficiency ratios (Drtina & Meyer, 2014). When evaluating the grant application, foundations expect nonprofits to have a sustainable financial model. Social purpose and its potential to achieve that purpose are also important. When it comes to nonprofits nonfinancial capability, 87% of foundations finds that a nonprofits’ mission to community influenced the grant-making decisions. There are two factors to this result. First, it implies that the nonprofit has clearly identified its mission—its reason for existence. Having a well-articulated mission focuses the nonprofit’s energies and limits activities on the periphery (Drtina & Meyer, 2014). Second, a nonprofit applicant’s mission is vital to the

success of the granting foundation, which should provide grants only to those nonprofits whose mission aligns with its own (Drtina & Meyer, 2014). Reputation of the nonprofit is also valuable. Nonprofits can increase their chances of receiving foundation grants by provide financial metrics from reliable sources, such as independent audits and IRS Form 990. Independent audits have a slightly higher preference over Form 990. Another factor is for the nonprofit to make a convincing argument about their social mission. Nonprofits should make a clear connection between mission, goals, programs, strategy, and measures. There were two key findings to the survey. First, nonprofits must demonstrate financial stability when applying for a grant. Second, nonprofits should be articulate in their mission statement as well as a history of successful accomplishments. Article v. Medicaid is a public program that provides health coverage to low-income households financed by federal-state jointly. Research on Medicaid typically surrounds financing and provisions of health care. There is far less research that it plays on social service programs assisting low-income populations. Nonprofit social service organizations have become increasingly important within the antipoverty safety net, delivering more than $100 billion in services (Allard and Smith, 2014). It can be a useful tool for nonprofit organizations when grant money is not available. It allows state government to fulfill growing social service program responsibilities while shifting a portion of the financial burden for these safety-net responsibilities to the federal government (Allard and Smith, 2014). The downside to that is that not all social service organizations or low- income individuals can participate in Medicaid. Medicaid program data often does not specify the types of organizations or providers that receive funding; nonprofit finance data commonly

management services (Allard and Smith, 2014). With that discretion it allows them to tailor Medicaid support of social services to reflect the priorities and preferences of the state. Medicaid also helps resolve financial tension in nonprofit social service organizations. Medicaid provides funding, provides resources for nonprofit social service organizations to cross subsidize other programs and operations, an agency that serves more eligible clients will receive more money without having to bill clients, and will increase eligible clients. States must certify nonprofit social service organizations to be eligible Medicaid providers in order to reimburse them for services to Medicaid eligible populations. Certification typically requires nonprofit providers to submit more detailed accounting and reporting than may be the case with other sources of funding (Allard and Smith, 2014). When a nonprofit organization is a certified Medicaid provider it can have other potential advantages, such as receive program referrals from state government agencies and increase their client caseloads. It might also enhance their chances of receiving government grants and contracts. It is certain that Medicaid helps resolve dilemmas present in contemporary intergovernmental financing of the safety net by cost shifting the burden of social service programs from state government to the federal government and by providing cash-strapped nonprofits with access to a steady source of revenue (Allard and Smith, 2014). The study found that nonprofit service providers that are certified to receive Medicaid will have more advantages in the uncertain fiscal terrain then those who are not eligible. Need Analysis Substance abuse related crimes are increasing in Anderson, Indiana. The magnitude of the problem within Midwest Case Management is the lack of funding to provide substance abuse education to those in need. Although the community sees substance abuse as a choice and

doesn’t always support what MCM is doing, MCM does partner with some government agencies, such as local probation and the prosecutor’s office. If those who have a substance abuse problem do not get the treatment they need, crime will continue to increase in Anderson, as well as Madison County. Currently MCM has a total of 25 computers that are used to help their clients become self-sufficient. This would include job searching, preparing resumes, and general computing. MCM also has volunteers who are educated in criminal justice and have experience in the field. The biggest obstacle MCM is facing deals with finance and hiring additional staff personnel. If MCM could receive funds from donations, fundraising, and grants they would be able to hire additional staff to include a social worker or Licensed Mental Health Counselor (LMHC). With a licensed therapist, insurance could cover the cost for the services provided by MCM, thus allowing low-income families to receive the treatment they need. In turn this would lower substance abuse and related crimes in Anderson, IN and Madison County. Setting up the Research Plan My research question is: “What is the best way Midwest Case Management can increase funding by Fiscal Year (FY) 2021?” There are many peer reviewed articles, as well as websites, that offer information on how nonprofit organizations can increase funds through; grants, fundraising, and contributed donations. The bigger picture is pin-pointing what method would be more valuable for Midwest Case Management to increase funding by FY2021. Scientific Method After conducting the literature review there were various ways that MCM can increase their funding. The first method would be to reach out to sources that could contribute to funding. These sources would be: (1) federal government and state and local government agencies; (2)