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Health and Human Services Agency, Social Services Division, recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign letters of support to the Assembly and Budget Subcommittees to increase statewide funding by $19.7 million for Fiscal Year 2016/17 to expand the Commercially Sexually Exploited Children Program through California’s child welfare services system.
FUNDING: State General Fund.
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DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION
Health and Human Services Agency, Social Services Division, recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign letters of support to the Assembly and Budget Subcommittees to increase statewide funding by $19.7 million for Fiscal Year 2016-17 to expand the Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) Program through California’s child welfare services system.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
In 2014, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) was awarded a grant which provided funding for the continued development of child welfare services’ response to human trafficking through infrastructure building and a multi-system approach among local law enforcement, juvenile justice, court systems, runaway and homeless youth programs, Children’s Justice Act grantees, child advocacy centers and other applicable service providers.
On July 9, 2014, CDSS notified the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) that El Dorado had been selected as a participant in CDSS’s grant proposal along with Los Angeles, San Luis Obispo, San Joaquin, Sacramento and San Bernardino counties. As a participant, the County received technical assistance and support for developing interagency protocols. The $14 million in state funding provided to counties in fiscal year 2015/16 enabled the County to continue the efforts of the Foster Youth and Human Trafficking Task Force, developed in 2013 and operating under an MOU ratified by the Board of Supervisors.
On August 11, 2015, the Board adopted and authorized Supervisors Mikulaco and Frentzen’s Resolution 132-2015 to affirm the County’s commitment to the prevention of commercial sexual exploitation of children in our County and to work collaboratively to identify, protect and serve these vulnerable youth and children.
New federal mandates have clarified that youth who are in foster care and who are victims of, or at risk of, commercial sexual exploitation, come under the jurisdiction of child welfare services and agencies must identify, screen and determine appropriate services for CSEC youth. The County Welfare Directors Association (CWDA) is taking the lead in advocating for $19.7 million to expand the Commercially Sexually Exploited Children (CSEC) Program thus enabling the implementation of developed protocols and the ability to offer the wide array of services necessary to respond effectively to the CSEC crisis, provide crucial services to the victims, and target prevention programs to those most at risk.
Supporting the increased funding to expand the CSEC Program is one more step the County can take to promote statewide practices and programs and ultimately improve outcomes for child sex trafficking victims.
ALTERNATIVES
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OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
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CAO RECOMMENDATION
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This letter would help to increase statewide funding by $19.7 million for Fiscal Year 2016-17. If this is successful, it is unknown at this time how much El Dorado County would receive.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Provide Health and Human Services Agency with one (1) signed original letter to The Honorable Holly Mitchell, Chair Senate Budget Subcommittee No. 3
2) Provide Health and Human Services Agency with one (1) signed original letter to The Honorable Tony Thurmond, Chair Assembly Budget Subcommittee No. 1
2) Provide Health and Human Services Agency with one (1) certified minute order.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
CONTACT
Don Ashton, M.P.A., Director