DATE: June 18, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sanja Bugay, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Agreement with Centro La Familia Advocacy Services, Inc. for Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with Centro La Familia Advocacy Services for domestic violence and human trafficking victim assistance services, effective July 1, 2024, not to exceed five consecutive years, which includes a three-year base contract and two optional one-year extensions, total not to exceed $5,001,261.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will allow Centro La Familia Advocacy Services (CLFA) to continue to provide outreach and direct services to non-citizen victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes. Services will be delivered in accordance with the State Trafficking and Crime Victims Assistance Program (TCVAP), and are designed to improve safety, well-being and self-sufficiency. The recommended agreement will be 100% funded with the TCVAP allocation, with no Net County Cost. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended action, services to non-citizen victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes would not be provided and State allocated funds for this purpose would not be used.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The maximum cost of the Agreement ($5,001,261) will be fully offset with TCVAP funds. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Org 5610 FY 2024-25 Recommended Budget and will be included in subsequent budget years.
DISCUSSION:
Human trafficking involves controlling a person with force, fraud, or coercion for the purpose of sexual or labor exploitation. The Trafficking Victim Protection Act of 2000 federally criminalized human trafficking and provided two nonimmigrant visas to provide victims with safety and permanency while aiding law enforcement in prosecution of the victim’s perpetrators. In 2006, California enacted Senate Bill 1569 to further provide temporary and immediate access to social services for non-citizen victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes. An annual allocation of State funding through TCVAP allows the County to provide services to impacted victims. The current agreement for TCVAP services will expire June 30, 2024.
On October 11, 2023, a Letter of Interest (LOI) #24-021 was released on Public Purchase. In addition, the LOI was sent to an additional bidders list consisting of seven local organizations that provide various services to victims of Human Trafficking. The LOI closed at 10am on November 2, 2023, with one vendor response from CLFA. Not only did CLFA meet all the qualifications listed in the LOI, but they have notable experience working with the target population, knowledge of the TCVAP program, and continue to collaborate with other agencies that are integral to servicing the targeted population.
If approved, the recommended Agreement will allow CLFA to provide services to 100 unduplicated non-citizen victims of human trafficking, domestic violence, and other serious crimes annually. Services will raise community awareness and identify and assist victims. Program outcomes include victim stabilization, recovery from trauma, increased self-sufficiency, education about rights, advocacy services, support groups, parenting skills, shelter and housing, immigration status petitions, and community-wide understanding of the effects on victims of trafficking in Fresno County. In the current FY 2023-24, CLFA served approximately 90 new families with a variety of services that included public assistance enrollment, counseling, legal services, emergency essentials, court accompaniment, transportation, supportive services for survivors, outreach events, and acculturation supports.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #63 June 4, 2019
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with CLFA
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander