Peacoholics Responds

Peacoholics has provided new details on the organization's funding and operation, which has been a growing source of controversy.  At a joint meeting of the Convention Center Community Association and Mount Vernon Square Neighborhood Association, Peacoholics Executive Director Maia Shanklin Roberts answered questions posed by residents.  The organizations' co-founder, Ron Moten, also participated in the community forum.

Millions in Public Funds

Some have questioned the appropriateness of Peacoholics receiving millions in public funds during the Fenty Administration, raised concerns with a lack of government oversight, and asked questions about the organization's accountability for obtaining results.

According to Roberts, between 2008 and 2009, Peacoholics received $3.48 million in city, federal, and private funds.  Most were allocated to violence intervention programs in Wards 1, 2, 7, and 8.  Their activities included operating a community center, programs at two high schools, and work at New Beginnings, the city's youth detention center.  Peacoholics also performed third-party monitoring for court social services, including probation checks for 100 juveniles.

Roberts noted a website, http://www.citystat.org/, where one can view the public funds provided by DC agencies to organizations.  If you have not seen this website, it provides quite interesting information, even if not very user-friendly.  The database provides the following information for city funds provided to Peacoholics, but does not provide detail as to the date or purpose of payments:

PEACEOHOLICS INC

DEPART OF YOUTH REHABILITATION SERVICES PO249009 - $659,049.00
HOUSING PRODUCTION TRUST FUND PO266784 - $600,000.00
DEPART OF YOUTH REHABILITATION SERVICES PO205572 - $583,814.00
METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT PO231942 - $199,433.00
METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT PO261004 - $100,000.00
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES PO163563 - $99,995.00
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES PO174329 - $83,333.30
DEPART OF YOUTH REHABILITATION SERVICES PO180444 - $74,877.00
DEPART OF YOUTH REHABILITATION SERVICES PO236656 - $68,897.30
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES PO206553-V2 - $62,575.90
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES PO236638 - $50,000.00
DEPART OF YOUTH REHABILITATION SERVICES PO194550-V2 - $36,666.70
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES PO200256 - $31,250.00
DEPUTY MAYOR FOR ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT PO234771 - $15,000.00
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA PUBLIC SCHOOLS PO217774 - $10,000.00
DEPART OF YOUTH REHABILITATION SERVICES PO168587 - $9,420.00
DEPARTMENT OF HUMAN SERVICES PO159218 - $9,420.00
DEPART OF YOUTH REHABILITATION SERVICES PO200718 - $7,333.33

Grand total: $2,701,064.53.

Moten: No More Earmarks

When public funding for Peacoholics was at its apex in 2008-09, the organization had a 60-member staff. Since elimination of much of its city funding, particularly after the DC Council eliminated all earmarks last year, Peacoholics has significantly downsized. It is now examining sustainability issues and considering partnerships with other organizations and sources of private funding.

In what may have been a surprise to some, Peacoholics Founder Ron Moten declared, "I believe that earmark funding should be cut, eliminated" and that there should be a competitive process to obtain government funding. Moten had led a protest with youths at the Wilson Building, covered in bandages and fake blood, after the city council eliminated earmarks.  Moten's comments were directed to Council Chairman and Mayoral Candidate Vince Gray, who attended the meeting for a candidate's forum later on the agenda. Moten's comments appeared to be fueled by his frustration that despite the elimination of most earmarks, Gray allowed groups friendly with Councilmember Harry Thomas (D-Ward 5) to obtain public funds for violence intervention programs on an noncompetitive basis.

"I think it is criminal to give people money who don't do the work, who are just friends with people," said Moten.

Roberts later responded to an assumption that most of Peacoholics funding had come from noncompetitive grants. While some of the organization's funding has come from earmarks, "most is competitively bid," she stated, resulting from the submission of proposals to government agencies.

Where the Money Goes: Peacoholics' Programs & Activities

I asked Roberts if she could be more specific in how the organization spent millions in public dollars, such as the percentage spent on staff and various programs, and whether any youth directly received cash or stipends.  She noted that the activities for which Peacoholics receives government funds include third-party monitoring through the court system and its civil rights tour, in which 75-100 youths participate twice annually.

The group is also funded by the Department of Youth Rehabilitative Services (DYRS) to provide life skills training.  Funds go to pay staff and overhead for acting as facilitators at New Beginnings.  In addition, Peacoholics employs case managers, who are paid $45-55k per year and work with five youths.  Funds also go to "exposure activities," designed to bring youths out of the violent environment in which they often feel trapped.

Roberts also explained that in schools in which it is involved, Peacoholics places six staff members who are each paid $40-47k.  They work in the school from 8:30 am to 5:30 pm and then go into the community for outreach in the evenings.  Peacoholic views itself as filling gaps at schools, such as providing uniforms for teams where needed.

The group's violence intervention programs, Robert's explained, involve dedicating two to three staff members to known conflicts.  For instance, Roberts credited the organization for work done in Shaw with respect to gang disputes involving crews on 9th Street, 5th and O, and 7th and O.  Staff are on call 24/7, go to crime scenes, and follow up. 

Peacoholics typically plans large community events to bring people together, but did not have a planned event in Shaw last year upon the recommendation of MPD.  Such events cost approximately $5-7k for equipment rental, such as a moon bounce and food.

During her descriptions of Peacoholics' activities, Roberts occasionally referred to "direct funds to youth" and stipends.  During the discussion of the group's activities in schools, she noted that Peacoholics provides "direct support" to those youth and their families.  She also mentioned the organization's use of "flex funds" go provide youths with necessities, such as clothes and shoes, as part of its DYRS-funded activities. It was unclear to me whether this may mean cash payments in some instances and how youth are selected to receive support. 

Some have claimed that youths involved in Peacoholics were paid to vote in a mayoral candidates straw poll in Ward 8, an allegation was not raised or addressed at the Shaw forum.  Moten is a strong supporter of Mayor Adrian Fenty.  Also not discussed at the forum was the organization's involvement in a housing project in Congress Heights, which has drawn concern from nearby residents.

A Major Employer of Ex-Offenders

Three out of four Peacoholics employees at ex-offenders, stated Roberts.  From Roberts' comments, this appears to serve two purposes: (1) ensure staff and at-risk youth can relate; and (2) provide a job to ex-offenders who might otherwise go back to crime.  Some questioned whether providing at-risk youth with ex-offenders as mentors provides the right type of influence to move them away from crime.  In response, Roberts emphasized the importance of using people for outreach who "understand and are sensitive" to the environment.  Roberts also noted that their staff undergoes substantial training to provide "the more theoretical base for what they are doing" and with "hard and soft skills." 

If you are "bit by a snake, the antidote comes from the snake," added Moten.  "Ex-offenders who are trained properly can do the same thing" as others.

From Point A to Point B

Roberts acknowledged the limitations of the services that Peacoholics and its staff can provide.  For instance, the organization is not involved in pyschological counselling, which she views as a vital service that is not being adequately provided by the District's Department of Mental Health.  "Peacoholics is an organization that will take you from point A to point B," she stated.  At-risk youth may then need another organization or services to go further.

"Never Heard a Good Thing," said Mendelson

Roberts was asked to respond to comments attributed to Councilmember Phil Mendelson (D-At Large) that he has never heard a good thing about the organization's work from the Metropolitan Police Department. Roberts noted that her organization is a partner with MPD on various projects and that she has recently participated in meetings with Chief Cathy Lanier and Assistant Chief Diane Groomes which do not leave her with that impression. She noted that Peacoholics always testifies at Mendelson's hearings, yet he has never met with them outside a hearing. Roberts expressed willingness to meet with Mendelson and have an ongoing dialogue, and to provide monthly reports to all funding sources.

Absconders in the Midst

Shaw resident Rickey Williams asked Roberts to explain how Peacoholics verifies that those participating in its programs "are not absconders, wanted criminals."  His concern stemmed from the realization that the youth arrested in the murder of Shaw Middle School Principal Brian Betts had absconded from DYRS and participated in a retreat in suburban Maryland co-sponsored by Peacoholics just days before the killing.

Roberts noted that the organization receives permission slips from parents prior to participation in such programs, but that it "is not standard for any organization to do background checks" and that it would be counterproductive to impose such a requirement.  Only when it takes youth out of state for the civil rights tour (apparently, a Maryland retreat does not qualify as out of state), the organization runs background checks to ensure participants can legally attend.  Roberts also noted that the retreat was "for the entire community" and was not solely for youth in the Peacoholics program.  The organization did not have an ongoing relationship, control over, or know the status of, the youth allegedly involved in the killing.

Moten added that the retreat was planned in direct and immediate response to threats of violence and retaliation in the area.  "Boy scouts don't do background checks," he noted.