New World Believers says it is owed reimbursements; board authorizes legal steps to seek return of vehicles

Latasha Jones, speaking for New World Believers, told the Children’s Trust board that her organization has not received reimbursements for November and December despite providing required receipts and an action plan, and that the group was later suspended and terminated by ECT.

Jones said the organization was now facing threats of legal action over three vehicles it purchased for program use in 2024–25 and asked the board what steps were needed to obtain funds owed and avoid being penalized for purchases the board previously approved.

Legal counsel told the board that the trust suspended the New World Believers contract effective Jan. 8, 2026, and later terminated it. Under the contract and incorporated general policy, vehicles purchased with grant funds must be returned upon termination. Counsel said staff has made demand for the vehicles but the organization has not agreed to return them. Counsel identified the vehicles as a 2015 Ford Transit 350, a 2010 Dodge Caravan, and a 1998 Honda Odyssey and asked the board whether it wanted staff to pursue civil replevin — a court action seeking possession — if the vehicles are not returned.

Separately, staff said it is reviewing reimbursement requests for November and December and investigating a possible overlap with services billed to the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice (DJJ). Staff reported public-records material showing approximately 50–60 youth with overlapping service dates between DJJ civil-citation billing and the trust-funded contract and said the review will require detailed examination of more than 400 pages of records. Staff cautioned that if duplicative billing or supplanting of trust funds is found, the trust may need to report matters to the inspector general and adjust reimbursements accordingly; if the review shows services were properly provided, staff said it will reimburse appropriately.

At the meeting the board approved a special legal engagement (Clark Partington) to handle matters adverse to New World Believers, including correspondence and potential litigation, and authorized counsel to proceed with steps to recover vehicles if they are not timely returned. Board members reiterated that the reimbursement review and the vehicle-recovery action are separate processes.

The board did not order an immediate withholding-for-vehicle-exchange; counsel made clear the two issues are distinct and that reimbursements remain under review. The board’s legal engagement and direction to pursue repossession (if necessary) were authorized at the meeting; staff continues the billing review.