DATE: February 25, 2020
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Lisa A. Smittcamp, District Attorney
SUBJECT: Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution Grant Certification of Assurance of Compliance
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute the updated Certification of Assurance of Compliance for the Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution program with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), for the period July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2020.
REPORT
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The Certification of Assurance of Compliance (COAOC) for the Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution program was approved by your Board with the Grant Application/Agreement on May 7, 2019. An updated version of this form was approved by your Board a second time on September 24, 2019. However, since that time, Cal OES has notified the District Attorney’s Office that it requires the approval of this new COAOC. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended action is not approved, the revenue, appropriations and staffing (one Deputy District Attorney IV and one Victim Advocate) associated with this program will need to be eliminated from the FY 2019-20 District Attorney Org 2860 Adopted Budget.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Revenues of $202,545 and required 25% Net County Cost match of $67,515 total $270,060 for the Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution program budget. Sufficient appropriations, revenues and Net County Cost are included in the FY 2019-20 District Attorney Org 2860 Adopted Budget for this program.
DISCUSSION:
The Violence Against Women Vertical Prosecution program funds one Deputy District Attorney IV and one Victim Advocate position to vertically prosecute domestic violence cases from the rural areas of Fresno County. Fresno County is one of eleven counties that have been successful at competing for these funds since 1998.
Fresno County was notified by Cal OES on November 12, 2019, that the application for the Violence Against Women Prosecution program for FY 2019-20 was approved. The department was contacted again by Cal OES on January 13, 2020 and asked to approve a new reformatted COAOC for FY 2019-20 with additional requirements. These new requirements are tied to the 2019 Federal Grant Guidelines and Regulations. Once approved, the executed COAOC will be forwarded to Cal OES.
If grant funding for this program is discontinued, all associated positions will be eliminated.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI No. 24 - September 24, 2019
BAI No. 36 - May 7, 2019
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk -Cal OES Certification
CAO ANALYST:
Jeannie Z. Figueroa