Title
Health and Human Services Agency recommending the Board:
1) Authorize the submission of a grant application to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for the County Victim Services Program for Fiscal Years 2020-21 and 2021-22, for an estimated grant amount of $168,946;
2) Approve and authorize the Director of Health and Human Services Agency and Board Chair to sign the Certification of Assurance of Compliance, pertaining to the Request for Application, as required by the grant;
3) Delegate authority to the Director of Health and Human Services Agency to accept funding and execute any grant agreement, if awarded, with all match being met by the subcontractor, including any extension(s) or amendment(s) thereto, contingent upon County Counsel and Risk Management Approval; and
4) Authorize the Director of Health and Human Services Agency, or the Chief Fiscal Officer, to execute and administer any agreement or subsequent administrative documents relating to said award, including required fiscal and programmatic reports as well as a subaward agreement with CASA El Dorado, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management.
FUNDING: $84,473 in 2018 and $84,473 in 2019 Victims of Crime Act funds, for a total estimated allocation of $168,946; with a total required match in the amount of $42,236, which will be provided by CASA El Dorado through in-kind volunteer hours.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On May 17, 2016, the Board authorized the Director of Health and Human Services Agency to submit a grant application to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) for the County Victim Services program. As a result of the application, the County was awarded $272,638 over twenty-four (24) months, which was later increased to $470,678 of a total of forty-two months. The totality of the funding was subawarded to CASA El Dorado to provide Court Appointed Special Advocates for victims of child abuse and neglect.
The initial grant application, consistent with the requirements of the County Victim Services Program Request for Applications, proposed a plan developed with the approval of a Victim Services Steering Committee. The first forty-two months of funding was the result of activities detailed in this plan.
On July 1, 2020, Cal OES released a new Request for Applications for the County Victim Services Program, notifying all eligible recipients of funding that continued funding would be contingent upon re-convening the Victim Services Steering Committee to discuss potential uses for funding and gaps that could be addressed to better serve crime victims.
As a result, the Victim Services Steering Committee reconvened on both August 13, 2020 and August 27, 2020. After much discussion, on August 28, 2020, the only viable option still under consideration was to continue subaward of the funding to CASA El Dorado.
With the funding made available through this grant, CASA provides court advocacy for 90 youth (approximately 60% of the youth served by CASA), by way of recruiting and training volunteers who serve as advocates, as well as through connecting youth with important education, medical, mental health, substance abuse, and community supports.
ALTERNATIVES
Should the Board decline to approve the submission of the application and required signatures, the County would be ineligible to participate in the County Victim Services Program funded through Cal OES, and as a result, not be awarded funding through this opportunity, therefore the County would be unable to subaward this funding CASA El Dorado.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
1) Item #16-0232, May 17, 2016
2) Item #16-0992, October 11, 2016
3) Item #19-1439, October 8, 2019
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
In the previous 42 months of funding, all required matching funds have been met by CASA El Dorado without failure. This model will be continued for the new grant cycle. However, should CASA El Dorado fail to report match as required in the resulting subaward agreement, the County would be responsible for any unmet match or disallowed expenses, using County General Fund, consistent with the requirements of the Grant Program. Anticipated match could be up to $42,236 in General Fund.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Clerk of the Board to obtain signature of the Chair on the required certification; and return said certification to HHSA at 3057 Briw Rd promptly to submit to Cal OES by October 1, 2020.
2) Clerk of the Board to provide a Certified Minute Order to HHSA upon approval of the Minutes of the Board.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
County Strategic Goal: “Healthy Communities, Improved Health, Well-being, and Self-sufficiency of El Dorado County communities, residents, and visitors.”
CONTACT
Don Semon, Director