Title
District Attorney recommending the Board:
1) Approve and authorize the acceptance of a grant award in the amount of $156,250 from the California's Governor's Office of Emergency Services for the Increased Access to Services Program for the period of April 1, 2020 to June 30, 2021 based on the received Letter of Intent;
2) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign the Certification of Assurance of Compliance Violence Against Women Act;
3) Authorize the District Attorney to execute the Grant Award Agreement and required documents, including any extensions or amendments thereof which do not increase the net county costs; and
4) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 081-2020 amending the current Authorized Personnel Allocation Resolution for the District Attorney to add 1.0 FTE Victim Witness Program Specialist - Limited Term.
FUNDING: California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Increased Access to Services Program Victims of Crime Act Administrators Federal Funds.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The District Attorney's Office has received notification from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) that they intend to fund our Request for Proposal for the Increased Access to Services (KU) Program. The KU Program is designed to provide funding to victim service providers to increase physical and/or programmatic access to services for victims of crime, including victims with disabilities, specialized populations, and those with access and functional needs (AFN).
The District Attorney’s Office will add a Victim/Witness Program Specialist (limited term) to the Victim Witness Unit to provide additional service capabilities for victims of crime by providing services such as crisis intervention, counseling, criminal justice support and advocacy, assistance with crime compensation benefits, and referrals to community services. All services provided by the Program Specialist and the oversight provided by the Program Coordinator will support the increased access for AFN populations, along with support for our most vulnerable populations, including child victims, human trafficking victims, and sexual assault victims under eleven years old. Additional program objectives will be to increase our interpretative services for non-English speaking victims and families. The grant approval includes the purchase of a vehicle for the Victim Witness Unit to be able to serve rural or disadvantaged victims who may encounter transportation difficulties. The DA's Office will work with the CAO's Office and Fleet to determine how to meet the transportation needs of the program without committing to future fleet vehicle costs beyond the term of this grant.
The District Attorney’s Office submitted this Request for Proposal on March 2, 2020. The Letter of Intent to fund our proposal was received by Cal OES on April 16, 2020. The KU program award period is April 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021. The funding will be included in the FY 2020-21 adopted budget.
ALTERNATIVES
Should the Board decline to accept the funding, the County would be ineligible to participate in the program.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
The total project award of $156,250 carries with it a match burden of $31,250. The grant proposal submitted identified using a portion of the Program Coordinator’s Salary & Benefits to fulfill the match requirement, along with some minor operating expenses and indirect costs. There will be no change to Net County Cost for Fiscal Years 19/20 or 20/21 for the acceptance of this program.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Clerk of the Board to obtain the Board Chair's signature on two Certification of Assurance of Compliance Violence Against Women Act forms and return one certified copy to the Chief Administrative Office, Central Fiscal Unit, Attention: Audra Anderson.
2) Upon Board adoption and approval, please provide a copy of the executed resolution to Katie Lee in Human Resources.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Public Safety
CONTACT
Vern R. Pierson, District Attorney