DATE: November 28, 2023
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Kirk Haynes, Chief Probation Officer
SUBJECT: Unserved/Underserved Victim Advocacy and Outreach Program Grant Application/Agreement
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Retroactively approve and authorize the Chief Probation Officer’s previous submittal of a grant proposal to the State of California, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) for the Unserved/Underserved Victim Advocacy and Outreach Program ($196,906);
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a Grant Application/Agreement for the Unserved/Underserved Victim Advocacy and Outreach Program with Cal OES, for the period of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024 ($196,906); and
3. Approve and Authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector, or his designee, to execute the required Authorization for the Grant Subaward Certification of Assurance of Compliance.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. To meet the grant filling deadline, the Probation Department submitted the grant proposal, contingent upon your Board’s approval. The grant provides funding to increase identification of elderly and dependent adult victims of crime and improve services available to those victims. The recommended actions will authorize the previous submittal of the grant application and the execution of the Grant Agreement. It should be noted, once the grant agreement is executed by the Chairman and Cal OES, the application documents become the final agreement between the County and Cal OES. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended actions are not approved, the Grant Proposal will be withdrawn. This will result in the elimination or reduction of services provided by the Crime Victim Assistance Center (CVAC) to elderly and dependent adult victims of crime. It will also result in the elimination of two Victim-Witness Advocate (VWA) positions, unless an alternative funding source is identified.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The grant will provide a total of $196,906 in grant funds. Due to the fiscal impact of the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency, a waiver request for the required match was submitted with the proposal to Cal OES and Cal OES approved the waiver; therefore, the mandated match of $49,227 is not included in the grant application. The grant fully funds two VWA positions. If funding is not granted, Probation will have to identify an alternative funding source for these positions. If an alternative funding source is not identified, the positions will be deleted. The grant does not pay for any indirect costs. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Probation Grants Org 3432 FY 2023-24 Adopted Budget.
DISCUSSION:
On March 28, 2023, your Board approved the final non-competitive application/agreement with Cal OES for this program that remained in the prior grant cycle. On July 25, 2023, Cal OES released a request for application (RFA) for a non-competitive grant funding opportunity, with a filing deadline of September 5, 2023. In order to meet the filing deadline, the application was previously submitted to Cal OES, contingent upon your Board’s approval, and is being brought to your Board with the application/agreement on the first available Board date.
With the award of this grant, Probation’s CVAC will continue fulfilling the Unserved/Underserved Victim and Advocacy (UV) Program. Grant funding provides two VWA positions to reach elderly and dependent adult victims of crime and assist them in coping with the impacts of the criminal acts perpetrated against them. The objectives of the VWA positions are to improve identification of elderly and dependent adult victims, increase community awareness of victims’ rights and available services, establish connections between Probation’s CVAC and Fresno County’s rural communities and cultural groups, and improve services available to elderly and dependent adult victims of violent crime through a collaboration of agencies.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #41, March 28, 2023
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Application/Agreement with Cal OES
CAO ANALYST:
Fine Nai