REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 19, 2020
FROM
JASON ANDERSON, District Attorney
SUBJECT
Title
Agreement with the State of California - Victim Compensation Board
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Agreement with the State of California - Victim Compensation Board (State Agreement No. S20-018) for continued use of the $200,000 emergency revolving account for emergency expenses incurred by crime victims from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023.
2. Adopt Resolution authorizing the District Attorney, as required by the State of California, to sign and submit the agreement on behalf of the Board of Supervisors.
3. Direct the District Attorney to transmit all agreement documents to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Michael Fermin, 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.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Through a previous agreement with the State of California - Victim Compensation (VC) Board, a $200,000 revolving fund was established with cash advanced from the State. This revolving fund has been used to reimburse emergency expenses incurred by crime victims within San Bernardino County. This new agreement allows for the continued use of this fund through June 30, 2023. As expense claims are produced, replenishment requests to the State are processed concurrently.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Penal Code Section 13835 et seq. allows counties to establish Victim/Witness Assistance Programs for services to crime victims. These services include assistance with claim applications to the State Victims of Crime Program (VOC) for reimbursement of out-of-pocket costs incurred as a result of crime. The VC Board, in accordance with Government Code Section 13952.5(c)(3), may delegate authority to the District Attorney’s victim services staff to process crime claims and disburse emergency funds per established guidelines. Delegating this authority, at the local level, expedites the claims process.
The District Attorney (Department) has a unit that processes claims submitted by victims to the VOC. The VOC Program reimburses victims for qualifying losses incurred as a result of a crime. However, the verification and reimbursement process can take several months. In certain circumstances, victims are unable to wait an extended period of time to receive assistance (i.e. funeral/burial costs, domestic violence and sexual assault relocation costs, and crime scene clean up). Through previous agreements with the VC Board, a process was developed by which the County may pay verified expenses when a provider is unwilling to wait for reimbursement through the normal claims process. The original amount advanced in 1999 for this purpose was $25,000. This revolving fund was increased to the current amount of $200,000 as approved by the Board of Supervisors (Board) on October 2, 2007 (Item No. 29).
This recommended agreement with the VC Board will continue the process as described above. The term of this new agreement is from July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023 at the existing revolving fund amount of $200,000. Approval of this agreement will allow the Department to continue to maximize state funding and provide for the emergency needs/losses of County residents victimized by crime.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Katherine Hardy, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5437) on April 28, 2020; Finance (Carl Lofton, Administrative Analyst III, 387-5404) on May 01, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Kelly Welty, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on May 4, 2020.