Title
District Attorney’s Office recommending the Board:
1) Accept a grant from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for the Unserved/Underserved Victim Advocacy and Outreach (UV) Program in the total project cost of $246,133 for the period of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024, based on the received Letter of Intent;
2) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign the current Certification of Assurance of Compliance and any modified Certifications that may be required during the performance period, contingent upon approval by County Counsel;
3) Authorize the District Attorney to execute the Grant Award Agreement and required documents, including any extensions or amendments thereof which would not increase net county cost, contingent upon approval by County Counsel; and
4) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 188-2023, extending the expiration date of 2.0 FTE Victim/Witness Program Specialist I/II - Limited Term positions, through December 31, 2024.
FUNDING: The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Victims of Crime Act Fund and General Fund for required match.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The District Attorney’s Office submitted a response to a Request for Application (RFA) for the UV Program, administered by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES). This is the second consecutive year of the District Attorney’s participation in the Program. The purpose of the UV program is to increase access to culturally appropriate victim services for unserved/underserved victims/survivors of crime. These services include the enhancement of existing programs to commit staff time to specifically address the needs of the identified unserved/underserved victim/survivor population, hiring staff that reflect the identified population, training all staff on the cultural norms of the population, and increasing outreach efforts. On October 23, 2023, the office received an Intent to Fund letter from CalOES, confirming that the agency will be awarded $196,906 in Federal Victims of Crime Assistance (VOCA) funds for the Grant Subaward performance period beginning January 1, 2024 through December 2024, with an additional $49,227 required local match, for a total project amount of $246,133.
Under this program, the District Attorney’s Victim Witness Unit (VWU) has committed to focusing on a cultural/ethnic-specific population; that being the Spanish-speaking community of El Dorado County. Direct services provided by program staff shall include, but not be limited to crisis intervention, counseling, outreach, criminal justice support, and victim advocacy. In order to continue the implementation of these initiatives, the VWU plans to fund 2.0 FTE Victim Witness Program Specialists. Both positions are bilingual in Spanish or another related language as to provide the most effective services to the underserved population. Additionally, staff will attend Advocate Training as well as provide training material for other staff within the department regarding how to best assist the Spanish-speaking victim population. Specialized community outreach will also be at the forefront of the program’s vision, in the hopes it will spread valuable information to the Spanish-speaking population.
Due to the continuation of this grant program, the associated Limited-Term Victim/Witness Program Specialist positions will be extended in correlation with the grant cycle, covering the period of January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024. Per Personnel Rule 1105, specifying that limited term allocations have a fixed expiration date, which can be extended upon approval by the Board of Supervisors, a resolution is included under this item extending the Limited-Term Victim/Witness Program Specialist positions.
It is anticipated the grant award of $196,906 will fund most of the Program Specialists’ salary and benefits, as well as all program operating expenses. The grant award carries a 25% local cash match requirement, in the amount of $49,227, which will fund the Program Manager’s part time efforts towards the program, a portion of the Program Specialist’s benefits, and a portion of the office facility lease.
As set forth in the RFA, the District Attorney is required to obtain written authorization from the Board of Supervisors that the official executing the agreement is authorized to do so. The District Attorney recommends the Board approve the acceptance of the grant award, authorizes the Chair to sign the certification of Assurance of Compliance for the VOCA Fund and authorizes the District Attorney to execute the grant award agreement and any additional required grant documents.
ALTERNATIVES
Should the Board decline to accept the grant award and adopt the personnel resolution, the County would be ineligible to participate in the program.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
02/07/2023 Legistar item 23-0088 - Board accepted CalOES UV Program in the total project cost of $246,132 for the period of January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Human Resources and County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no anticipated change to Net County Cost. Funding is included in the FY 2023-24 Budget. As previously mentioned, the project award of $196,906 carries with it a match burden of $49,227. The grant proposal submitted identified using a General Fund portion of the Program Specialists’ benefits, the Program Manager’s dedicated salary and benefits, and applicable facility lease costs to fulfill the match requirement. In the event the combination of these services is not sufficient to fulfill the match requirement, the District Attorney would be responsible for identifying additional savings within the department to cover the match requirement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Clerk of the Board to:
1) Obtain the Board Chair's signature on two copies of the Certification of Assurance of Compliance forms and return one certified copy to the Chief Administrative Office, Central Fiscal Unit, Attention: Justene Cline; and
2) Obtain the Board Chair's signature on the Limited Term position extension resolution and provide a copy to Human Resources, Attn: Michael Reddin.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Public Safety
CONTACT
Vern R. Pierson, District Attorney