REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 23, 2024
FROM
JASON ANDERSON, District Attorney
SUBJECT
Title
Grant Subaward Agreement with California Office of Emergency Services for the San Bernardino County Victim Services Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Grant Subaward Agreement (State Agreement No. XC23 04 0360) with the California Office of Emergency Services to accept grant funds in the amount of $759,656, with a local match of $189,914, for the San Bernardino County Victim Services Program, for the period of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.
2. Adopt Resolution, as required by the California Office of Emergency Services, authorizing the District Attorney to execute and submit the Grant Subaward Agreement, including any subsequent non-substantive amendments, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Authorize the District Attorney’s Chief of Victim Services and the Chief of Bureau of Administration to sign and submit monthly invoices, as required by the California Office of Emergency Services.
4. Authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post the necessary budget adjustments, as detailed in the Financial Impact section, for the County Victim Services Program (Four votes required).
5. Approve Amendment No. 2 to Second-Tier Subaward Agreement No. 22-63 with Partners Against Violence for victim advocacy services, to increase the contract amount by $325,000, from $742,679 to a total contract amount of $1,067,679, and to extend the term by one year, retroactively effective January 1, 2024, for a total term of January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024.
6. Approve Amendment No. 2 to non-financial Agreement No. 22-64 with the City of Barstow for the continued services of a Victim Advocate, and extend the term by one year, retroactively effective January 1, 2024, for a total term of January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024.
7. Approve Amendment No. 2 to non-financial Agreement No. 22-65 with the City of Chino for the continued services of a Victim Advocate, and extend the term by one year, retroactively effective January 1, 2024, for a total term of January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024.
8. Approve Amendment No. 2 to non-financial Agreement No. 22-244 with the City of Rialto for the continued services of a Victim Advocate, and extend the term by one year, retroactively effective January 1, 2024, for a total term of March 29, 2022 through December 31, 2024.
9. Approve Amendment No. 1 to non-financial Agreement No. 22-1002 with Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital and Loma Linda University Medical Center for the continued services of a Victim Advocate, and extend the term by one year, retroactively effective January 1, 2024, for a total term of November 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024.
10. Direct the District Attorney to transmit any non-substantive amendments to the Grant Subaward Agreement in Recommendation No. 1 to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Michael Fermin, Chief Assistant District Attorney, 382-3662)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The receipt of grant funds, in the amount of $759,656 (comprised of federal funding from the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA)) from California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES)), will help fund the cost of the San Bernardino County (County) Victim Services Program. This grant requires a local cash match of $189,914, which supports the remaining cost of the program and is funded within the District Attorney’s (Department) existing 2023-24 budget.
The requested budget adjustment, as shown in the table below, is due to a difference between what was budgeted during the annual budget development in 2023-24 and the award amount received. When developing the 2023-24 budget, the Department initially projected receiving the same grant awards as received in the 2022-23 grant cycle, which was $754,174 in VOCA funds. However, the award amount for the 2023-24 grant cycle is $759,656 in VOCA funding, an increase of $5,482.
|
Fund Center |
Commitment Item |
Description |
Action |
Amount |
|
4500001000 |
40509155 |
Federal - Pass Through |
Increase |
$5,482 |
|
4500001000 |
51001010 |
Regular Salary |
Increase |
$5,482 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Penal Code section 13835 et seq. provides, upon Board of Supervisors (Board) recognition, the Department as the major provider of comprehensive services to victims of crime and witnesses in the County. Since 1980, the Department has provided services to victims of crime, primarily funded through several grants received from Cal OES, including the Victim Witness Assistance Program and the County Victim Services Program.
The grants help fund Victim Advocate positions to provide services to victims of all types of crimes in the immediate aftermath of the crime. Services include crisis intervention, emergency financial assistance for food, clothing, lodging, referrals to other agencies, and resource assistance. Emergency funeral and burial assistance are also provided to the family members of deceased victims of crime.
On October 24, 2023 (Item No. 32), and in accordance with Penal Code section 13835 et seq., the Board recognized the Department as the major provider of comprehensive services to victims of crime for the County. In that item, the Board also approved the Department’s grant application to Cal OES for the annual County Victim Services grant application. Cal OES approved the grant application, and the Department is now returning to the Board for approval of the Grant Subaward Agreement (State Agreement No. XC23 04 0360). This will be the fourth year the Department has received the County Victim Services grant subaward.
The grant requires recipients to identify service gaps in Victim Services Programs across the State of California and develop a methodology to fill those gaps. The grant also requires agencies to convene a steering committee to provide general oversight for the grant. The Department has convened a steering committee consisting of County members including the Department of Aging and Adult Services, Children and Family Services, District Attorney, Department of Behavioral Health, Probation, and the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator. Outside agency members include the Superior Court, Barstow Police Department, Partners Against Violence, Desert Sanctuary (domestic violence assistance program), Children’s Assessment Center of San Bernardino, and Fort Mohave Indian Tribe Domestic Violence Program.
The grant will continue to fund the Department’s initiatives of serving victims of crime sooner and in outlying areas of the County. As covered by the grant, Victim Advocates are located at the Barstow, Chino, and Rialto police departments, and a County facility in Needles. Funding continues for a Victim Advocate to serve victims receiving treatment at the Loma Linda University Medical Center (LLUMC). Funding also continues for the Department’s new initiative, from last year’s grant cycle, to place a Victim Advocate and Facility K-9 located at the San Bernardino Children’s Assessment Center (CAC). The Facility K-9 is a dog expertly trained to support and accompany children during forensic interviews and/or medical examinations, which helps alleviate the trauma children may experience when they are part of the criminal justice system. The Victim Advocate assigned to handle the Facility K-9 is specially trained and certified through Assistance Dogs International and has received the mandatory entry and advanced level victim advocate training.
The Department has prepared amendments to the non-financial agreements with the Cities of Bartow, Chino, and Rialto. These amendments are to extend the contract term by one year for a total term of three years. Approval of these amendments will allow Victim Advocates to continue providing services to victims or witnesses of crime from each of the City’s Police Departments. The Department also prepared an amendment to the non-financial agreement with LLUMC to extend the contract term by one year for a total term of two years. Approval of this amendment will allow a victim advocate to continue to provide services to victims and witnesses of crime from LLUMC and CAC.
On February 8, 2022 (Item No. 36), the Board approved the Second-Tier Subaward Agreement No. 22-63 (Agreement) with San Bernardino Partners Against Violence (PAV) in an amount not to exceed $387,663, for the period of January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2022.
On January 10, 2023 (Item No. 20), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to the Agreement to increase the contract amount by $355,016, for a total contract amount of $742,679, and extend the term by one year, for a total term of January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2023.
Amendment No. 2 to the Agreement will continue victim advocacy services by increasing the contract amount by $325,000, for a total contract amount of $1,067,679, and extending the term by one year, for a total term of January 1, 2022 through December 31, 2024.
The purpose of Amendment No. 2 is to allow the Department to continue to use grant funding to fund a second-tier subaward agreement with PAV, to administer their Crime Survivor Services (CSS) Program. CSS provides services 24 hours a day, seven days a week and offers trauma informed crisis intervention, accompaniment services when needed, case management, and information/referrals to community resources to victims of crime and their families. PAV provides services by telephone, email, and travel throughout the County when needed. In-person services are offered from their office locations in San Bernardino, Victorville, and Morongo.
On December 18, 2023, the Department received notification from Cal OES of the approval of the application and grant subaward. This item is being presented to the Board at this time, as this is the first date available for presentation. The Department continues to provide services to victims of crime and after the subaward is received, the Department will submit claims for expenses incurred during the grant cycle as Cal OES provides reimbursements.
The Cal OES Subrecipient Handbook, Section 1.055, requires all grant recipients to obtain written authorization, in the form of a resolution or letter from the Board, that the official executing the agreement is authorized to execute the document. Recipients must maintain this written authorization and make it available during audits. Historically, Cal OES has requested that each county’s District Attorney be the authorized official to execute the grant agreement and any necessary subsequent non-substantive amendments.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Jolena Grider, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on December 21, 2023; Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector (Charlene Huang, Auditor-Controller Manager, 382-7022) on December 21, 2023; Finance (Kathleen Gonzalez, Finance Analyst, 387-5412) on January 3, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Office, 387-5423) on January 5, 2024.