REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
February 8, 2022
FROM
JASON ANDERSON, District Attorney
SUBJECT
Title
Grant Award Agreement for the 2022 San Bernardino County Victim Services Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Grant Subaward Agreement (Subaward No. XC21 02 0360) with the California Office of Emergency Services to accept grant funds in the amount of $738,459, with a local match of $119,157, for the San Bernardino County Victim Services Program for the period of January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.
2. Adopt resolution, as required by California Office of Emergency Services, authorizing the District Attorney to execute all documents, including any subsequent non-substantive amendments, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel, in relation to the Grant Subaward Agreement.
3. Authorize the addition of two new positions classified as Victim Advocate II, Administrative Services Unit, R47 ($49,067.20 - $67,329.60).
4. Approve the second-tier subaward agreement with San Bernardino Partners Against Violence in an amount not to exceed $387,663, included in the grant award referenced in Recommendation No. 1, to provide services to victims of crime during the grant period of January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.
5. Approve non-financial agreements with the following agencies for an onsite Victim Advocate II from the District Attorney to provide services to victims of crime or witnesses to crime.
a. Barstow Police Department
b. Chino Police Department
6. Authorize the District Attorney’s Chief of Victim Services and the Chief of Bureau of Administration to sign and submit quarterly invoices as required by California Office Emergency Services.
7. Direct the District Attorney to transmit all documents related to this grant, including any non-substantive amendments, to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
8. 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).
(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.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The receipt of this grant funding in the amount of $738,459 from California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) will fund the cost of the County Victim Services Program (XC), including five Victim Advocate II positions at an approximate cost of $430,553, a sub-recipient award of approximately $387,663 to the San Bernardino Partners Against Violence community-based organization, and operating costs of approximately $39,400. This grant is comprised of federal funding from the Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) in the amount of $476,627 and State general funding of $261,832. The grant requires a local match of $119,157.
The need for the budget adjustment is due to a difference between what was budgeted during the annual budget development for 2021-22 and the award amount received. The Department initially projected receiving the XC grant award in the same amount as for calendar year 2021 of $779,698 with a local match of $38,984. However, the 2022 VOCA award is $476,627 which is a reduction of $303,071. To offset the reduction of federal VOCA funds, Cal OES awarded $261,832 of State general funds. The net reduction of the grant award is $41,239.
Budget adjustments are shown in the table below:
|
Fund Center |
Commitment Item |
Description |
Action |
Amount |
|
4500001000 |
52002445 |
Professional Services |
Decrease |
($41,239) |
|
4500001000 |
40509155 |
Federal - Pass Through |
Decrease |
($303,071) |
|
4500001000 |
40408955 |
State - Grants |
Increase |
$261,832 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Penal Code section 13835 et seq. provides, upon Board of Supervisors (Board) recognition, the District Attorney (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 the Victim Witness Assistance Program grant from Cal OES.
On September 21, 2021 (Item No. 20), the Board approved a grant application for new funding to Cal OES for the County Victim Services grant. The grant requirements include identifying gaps in Victim Services Programs across the State of California and requested that counties submit an application with a methodology to fill those gaps. The grant requires agencies to convene a steering committee to provide general oversight for the grant. The steering committee must consist of members from other County departments that provide social services to the public, the Superior Court, and a non-profit agency that receives victim services funding from Cal OES.
This new funding aligned with the Department’s initiatives to reach victims of crime more quickly and better serve victims in outlying and underserved regions of the County. The grant will allow the Department to place one Victim Advocate II position at the Barstow Police Department, the Chino Police Department, and the Rialto Police Department; the related non-financial agreements with the Barstow Police Department and the Chino Police Department are also recommended for Board approval. The non-financial agreement for Rialto Police Department is currently being reviewed. Once Rialto Police Department approves and signs the agreement, it will be presented to the Board for approval.
The Victim Advocates will provide services to victims of all types of crime, in the immediate aftermath of the crime, with crisis intervention, emergency financial assistance for food, clothing, and lodging, and referrals to other agencies and resource assistance. Emergency funeral and burial assistance will also be provided to the family members of deceased victims of crime. Board approval of the two new positions classified as Victim Advocate II will facilitate the delivery of these services.
In addition, the Department is collaborating with San Bernardino Partners Against Violence, by and through a second tier subaward agreement, to administer their Crime Survivor Services (CSS) Program that provides 24/7 trauma informed crisis intervention, accompaniment services when needed, case management, and information/referrals to community resources to victims of crime and their families. The Department recommends Board approval of a second tier subaward agreement to facilitate this collaboration, which is also a grant requirement.
The grant requires that the Department, serving as the lead agency, assemble a steering committee of representatives from County departments and outside agencies. The steering committee consists of County members include Aging and Adult Services, Child Protective Services, District Attorney, Department of Behavioral Health, Probation, the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator. Outside agency members include the Superior Court, Barstow Police Department, San Bernardino Sexual Assault Services, Desert Sanctuary (domestic violence assistance program), Children’s Assessment Center of San Bernardino, and Fort Mohave Indian Tribe Domestic Violence program.
The Cal OES Recipient Handbook 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, in fact, authorized to execute the document. Recipients must maintain this written authorization on file and make it available upon demand 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.
Pursuant to County Policy 05-13 and in accordance with 2021 Cal OES Subrecipient Handbook Section 1.055, the Department seeks Board approval to receive the grant award, enter into related agreements, and take the necessary steps, as more fully set forth in the recommendations above, to facilitate the provision of services to victims.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Katherine Hardy, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5437) on January 18, 2021; Human Resources (Gina King, Human Resources Deputy Director, 387-5571) on January 20, 2021; Auditor-Controller/Treasurer/Tax Collector (Vanessa Doyle, Chief, Deputy Controller, 382-3195) on January 20, 2021; Finance (Carl Lofton, Administrative Analyst III, 387-5404) on January 24, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on January 24, 2021.