Title
District Attorney's Office recommending the Board:
1) Authorize the District Attorney to accept a grant from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) for the Victim Witness Assistance Program with a total project amount of $498,602 for the period of October 1, 2026, through September 30, 2027, based on the received Letter of Intent;
2) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 147-2026 designating the District Attorney, or his designee, as the program Authorized Agent for the purposes of submitting, accepting, and executing award documents through the CalOES Grants Central System;
3) Approve and authorize the District Attorney, or his designee, to electronically agree to and accept the program Certification(s) of Assurance of Compliance; and
4) Authorize the District Attorney, or his designee, to electronically submit the grant application and execute the Grant Award Agreement and required documents, including any extensions or amendments thereof which would not increase net county cost, contingent upon review and approval by County Counsel.
FUNDING: California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Victims of Crime Act Fund (62%), California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Victims of Crime General Fund (22%), and General Fund Match (16%).
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The District Attorney's Office has operated the Victim Witness Assistance (VW) Program since 1980. The purpose of the VW Program is to provide comprehensive services to victims and witnesses of all types of violent crime. The advocates funded under this grant are required to provide the following services: crisis intervention, emergency assistance, resource referral and assistance, direct counseling, California Victims Compensation Board (CalVCB) claim assistance, property return, orientation to the criminal justice system, court escort, presentations and training for criminal justice agencies, public presentations and publicity, case status/dispositi...
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