REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 27, 2026
FROM
LUTHER SNOKE, Chief Executive Officer, County Administrative Office
SUBJECT
Title
Expanded Public Defense Services (Holistic Defense) Grant Award for Indigent Individuals with the Office of the State Public Defender
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve the Expanded Public Defense Services (Holistic Defense) Grant Award Letter with the Office of the State Public Defender to provide holistic defense services to individuals facing criminal charges, in the amount of $850,000 for the grant period of February 1, 2026, to June 1, 2028.
2. Authorize the Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector to post necessary budget adjustments as detailed in the Financial Impact Section (Four votes required).
(Presenter: Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423)
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COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Create, Maintain and Grow Jobs and Economic Value in the County.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
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 grant award, in the amount of $850,000, covers the grant period of February 1, 2026, to June 1, 2028, and is administered by the Office of the State Public Defender (OSPD). The grant will fund salaries and benefits for Public Defender (PD) staff supporting the County's Holistic Defense Program (Program) in the amount of $38,792 and services and supplies in the amount of $811,208. The grant does not have a local match requirement though it does contain a supplanting prohibition, which requires the grant funds to be allocated to new programs or to augment existing programs.
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