DATE: February 26, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Kirk Haynes, Chief Probation Officer
SUBJECT: Retroactive Human Trafficking Advocacy Program Grant Application/Agreement
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Retroactively authorize the Chief Probation Officer’s previous submittal of a grant application to the State of California, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for the Human Trafficking Advocacy Program ($187,500);
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive Grant Application/Agreement for the Human Trafficking Advocacy Program with the State of California, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for the period of January 1, 2019 to December 31, 2019;
3. Adopt resolution authorizing the Chairman to sign the retroactive grant application and to execute retroactive Grant Award Agreement and any extensions or amendments thereto with Cal OES for the period of January 1, 2019 through December 31, 2019, subject to approval by County Counsel and the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector;
4. Adopt Budget Resolution increasing the FY 2018-19 appropriations and estimated revenue in Probation - Grants Org 3432 in the amount of $76,116 (4/5 vote);
5. Approve and authorize the Clerk to the Board to execute Budget Transfer No. 8 ($18,750) transferring FY 2018-19 appropriations from Probation Org 3430 Account 6100 (Regular Salaries) to Probation - Grants Org 3432 Account 6100 (Regular Salaries) available due to salary savings to cover the required match for the Human Trafficking Advocacy Program; and
6. Approve Amendment to the Salary Resolution adding one Senior Victim Witness Advocate position to the Probation Org 3432, effective March 11, 2019 as reflected in Appendix “C”.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The Probation Department was awarded the competitive Human Trafficking Advocacy Program grant for one year. The grant allows Probation to submit a non-competitive reapplication for four consecutive years. To meet the grant filling deadline, the Probation Department submitted the grant application contingent upon your Board’s approval. The grant provides funding for support and assistance to human trafficking victims. The recommended actions will authorize the previous submittal of the grant application, the execution of the grant agreement, and the addition of one Senior Victim Witness Advocate position. It should be noted, once the grant agreement is executed by the Chairman and the State of California, Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (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 application will be withdrawn and due to lack of resources, the Crime Victim Assistance Center (CVAC), which is operated by the Probation Department, will be unable to add a Senior Victim Advocate position to address the needs of human trafficking victims by providing a broad range of advocacy services.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The Probation Department submitted the grant application to Cal OES on October 26, 2018 and was notified of the grant award on December 28, 2018 by letter from Cal OES. The Department is bringing this to your Board on the first available Board date within the agenda item processing deadlines. Once the grant agreement is executed by the Chairman and Cal OES, it becomes the final agreement between the County and Cal OES.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The award will provide a total of $187,500 ($150,000 in grant funds and $37,500 in required 20% match). The recommended budget resolution will provide the necessary appropriations and estimated revenue for the grant for FY 2018-19. The recommended budget transfer will transfer available salary savings in Probation Org 3430 to Probation Org 3432 to provide the necessary match for the grant for FY 2018-19. The grant does not pay for any indirect costs.
DISCUSSION:
The Cal OES request for grant applications was published on September 7, 2018 with a filing deadline of October 26, 2018. In order to meet the filing deadline, the Probation Department previously submitted the application to Cal OES contingent upon your Board’s approval, and it is being brought to your Board with the associated agreement within the agenda item processing deadlines on the first available Board date. On December 21, 2018, Cal OES awarded the County the competitive award, which will allow for a Senior Victim Witness Advocate position to be dedicated entirely to a specialized caseload of human trafficking victims. The award is provided for one year and allows the Probation Department to submit a non-competitive reapplication for four consecutive years.
Upon approval by your Board, the award will be used to hire one Senior Victim Witness Advocate position on a full-time basis by the Crime Victim Assistance Center to provide support and assistance to victims of human trafficking. The Senior Victim Witness Advocate position will conduct outreach to increase awareness of the human trafficking epidemic and services available to victims, support human trafficking victims by navigating the different systems such as criminal justice, child welfare, immigration, etc., and serve as the human trafficking advocacy subject-matter expert of CVAC. This position will develop innovative strategies to collaborate with and coordinate services across the criminal justice system, social services, and community-based service providers. In addition, this position will link victims to short-term needs (clothing, food, emergency shelter, medical care) and also long-term needs (mental health services, permanent housing, and child care).
The third recommended action will adopt a resolution authorizing the Chairman to submit the previously submitted grant application, and to execute any extensions or amendments to this grant as required by Cal OES, subject to review and approval by County Counsel and the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer-Tax Collector, not to exceed a total of $187,500.
The fifth recommended action will add one Senior Victim Witness Advocate position to Probation Org 3432 which will be dedicated to the Human Trafficking Advocacy Program.
If the grant funding is eliminated, the position associated with this grant will be deleted, unless an alternative funding source is identified.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Application/Agreement with Cal OES
On file with Clerk - Resolution
On file with Clerk - Budget Transfer
On file with Clerk - Resolution (Org 3432)
Salary Resolution Amendment (Appendix “C”)
CAO ANALYST:
Samantha Buck