Title
District Attorney’s Office recommending the Board:
1) Accept a grant from the Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for the Child Advocacy Center Program for the total project cost of $250,000 for the period of April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2025, 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;
4) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 185-2023, extending the expiration date of 1.0 FTE Victim/Witness Program Specialist I/II - Limited Term position, through March 31, 2025; and
5) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 186-2023, extending the expirations date of 1.0 FTE Deputy District Attorney I/II/III/IV - Limited Term position, through December 31, 2024, in relation to the previously approved grant award for the VV23 Program.
FUNDING: The California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Victims of Crime Act Fund and the Services Training Officers Prosecutors Violence Against Women Formula 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 Child Advocacy Center (KC) Program, administered by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES). The purpose of the KC Program is for Child Advocacy Centers (CACs) to provide direct victim services to child abuse survivors and their families through a multidisciplinary team approach. These services are to include victim-centered, trauma-informed forensic interviews, advocacy, direct or referral to therapy/counseling, and referrals for medical exams. The District Attorney's Office has participated in this program over the past six consecutive grant cycles. On August 25, 2023, the office received an Intent to Fund letter from CalOES, confirming that the agency will be awarded $200,000 in Federal Victims of Crime Assistance (VOCA) funds for the Grant Subaward performance period beginning April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2025, with a $50,000 local match requirement for a total project cost of $250,000.
In 2018, KC program funding was accepted and used to create The Fausel House CAC in Placerville, a free-standing building next door to the District Attorney’s Office. The downstairs floor of the Fausel House CAC is composed of a comfortable family waiting area, a victim program specialist desk for families to review paperwork, a bathroom, and a video and audio recorded interview room. There are drawing materials, multiple age-appropriate toys and books, and comfortable furniture for children and families to feel at-ease during their time at the CAC. Additionally, a South Lake Tahoe (SLT) satellite location was also created. The SLT location contains two interview rooms, which have been remodeled (one for small children and another for older/teenage children), and a family waiting room has been created complete with toys, drawing materials, and other child and family friendly toys. All CAC facilities ensure a comfortable, private setting for families visiting the CAC.
The recent award funding the KC Program will allow staff to maintain all necessary National Children's Alliance (NCA) accreditation components and standards for The Fausel House CAC, as well as continue to enhance the coordinated team approach to the investigation and prosecution of child sexual and physical abuse cases. With this cycle of funding, the program will fund 0.75 FTE CAC Coordinator (District Attorney Investigator) and 1.0 FTE Victim Witness Program Specialist, in addition to membership/accreditation fees, program-related training, interviewing/case tracking software agreements, as-needed office supplies, cell phone lines for program staff, and office equipment rental. The Program will also allocate 0.05 FTE Program Manager to meet the cash match requirement.
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, authorize the Chair to sign the Certification of Assurance of Compliance (Rev. 12/2021) for the VOCA Fund and authorize the District Attorney to execute the grant award agreement and any additional required documents.
Due to the continuation of this grant program, the associated Limited-Term Victim/Witness Program Specialist position will be extended in correlation with the grant cycle, covering the period of April 1, 2024 - March 31, 2025. 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 position.
Additionally, in reference to board item 23-1820, previously approved on October 24th, 2023, the associated Limited-Term Deputy District Attorney position will be extended in correlation with the Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution Program cycle, covering the period of January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024. The resolution requesting this extension is included under this item.
ALTERNATIVES
Should the Board decline to accept the grant award, the County would be ineligible to participate in the program and would lose the grant funding in support of the CAC.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
10/27/2023 Legistar item 23-1820 - Board accepted CalOES Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution (VV) Program in the amount of $270,060 for the period January 1, 2024 - December 31, 2024.
12/13/2022 Legistar item 22-2124 - Board accepted CalOES KC Program in the amount of $250,000 for the period of April 1, 2023 - March 31, 2024.
01/11/2022 Legistar item 22-0035 - Board accepted CalOES KC Program in the amount of $209,334 for the period of April 1, 2022 - March 31, 2023.
03/09/2021 Legistar item 21-0240 - Board accepted CalOES KC Program in the amount of $225,313 for the period of April 1, 2021 - March 31, 2022.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Human Resources and County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Cost. Funding is included in the FY 2023-24 Budget. The total project award of $250,000 carries with it a match burden of $50,000. The grant proposal submitted identified using a General Fund portion of the CAC Coordinator, Victim Witness Program Specialist, and the Program Manager’s salary/benefits 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 in his 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 both Limited Term position extension resolutions and provide copies to Human Resources, Attn: Michael Reddin.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Public Safety
CONTACT
Vern R. Pierson, District Attorney