REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 13, 2022
FROM
JASON ANDERSON, District Attorney
SUBJECT
Title
Grant Application with California Office of Emergency Services for the San Bernardino County Victim Services Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve grant application to the California Office of Emergency Services in the amount of $942,718, which includes grant funds of $754,174 and County matching funds of $188,544, for the San Bernardino County Victim Services Program, for the period of January 1, 2023 through December 31, 2023.
2. Adopt a Resolution authorizing the District Attorney to sign and submit the grant application, including the Certification of Assurance of Compliance and any non-substantive grant application amendments, subject to review by County Counsel, and recognizing that the District Attorney is the major provider of comprehensive services to victims and witnesses in San Bernardino County, as required by Penal Code Section 13835.2, and authorized to receive funds in furtherance of this goal.
3. Direct the District Attorney to transmit all grant application documents and amendments in relation to this grant 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
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 additional use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The $754,174 from California Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) will fund six Victim Advocate II positions and minimal operating expenses within the District Attorney’s Office (Department). This grant is comprised of federal funding from the Victims of Crime Act with a local match of $188,544. The local match will be funded from the Department’s existing General Fund budget allocation.
If the grant application is successful, the Department will return to the Board of Supervisors (Board) to accept the award, request any necessary budget adjustments and add the new regular positions. If future grant funding is reduced, staff will be transitioned to vacancies within the Department and the positions will be deleted.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Penal Code section 13835 et seq. provides, upon Board recognition, the Department is 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 and is primarily funded through the Victim Witness Assistance Program grant from Cal OES. These comprehensive services are provided by trained Victim Advocates who assist victims of crimes and their loved ones to minimize the impact crime has on their life. Mandatory services include crisis intervention and support services; funeral and burial arrangement assistance, and emergency financial assistance for funeral and burial expenses; temporary lodging and relocation, food and clothing, and case management; guidance to navigate the criminal justice system, including court orientation and support during criminal court proceedings for families of deceased victims and surviving victims directly impacted by crime; restitution assistance; referrals to local resources for mental health assistance and other services needed; and assistance with the California Victim Compensation Board (Cal VCB) application.
Over the past several years, the Department has implemented new initiatives to reach victims of crimes faster and in outlying and underserved regions of the County. To accomplish these goals, Victim Services received grant funds from the Cal OES grant for the County Victim Services Program to continue the police-based advocacy program and expand the existing hospital-based advocacy program.
In 2021, during the first year of this grant, the Department placed one Victim Advocate II at the Barstow Police Department, one Victim Advocate II at the Sheriff’s Department in Needles, and added one Victim Advocate II to serve victims at Loma Linda University Medical Center. In the outlying areas of the County, citizens may have to travel great distances to obtain assistance. Placing advocates at these outlying areas allows the Department to alleviate some of the challenges that County residents must overcome to obtain services. Also, it is more efficient for the Department to partner with agencies who already serve victims of crime in some capacity.
In 2022, the second year of this grant, the Department continued to expand services by adding one Victim Advocate II to the Chino Police Department and one Victim Advocate II to the Rialto Police Department. This will be the third grant application and the Department plans to continue expanding the hospital-based advocacy program by assigning one Victim Advocate II and a Facility K9 to the San Bernardino Children’s Assessment Center (CAC). The advocates will continue to work closely with the police departments to provide services to victims of all crimes as soon as services can be provided safely. The CAC is a collaborative partnership between the County and Loma Linda University to provide services to child victims and alleviate the trauma they have experienced.
The grant application continues to include funding for the Partners Against Violence community-based organization to administer their Crime Survivor Services (CSS) Program that provides 24/7 trauma informed crisis intervention, accompaniment services, follow-up, case management and information/referrals to community resources for victims of crime and their families administered by trained crisis response advocates and community volunteers.
The grant requires the Department serving as the lead agency assemble a steering committee of representatives from County departments and outside agencies. Current Steering Committee members include the departments of Aging and Adult Services, Children and Family Services, District Attorney, Department of Behavioral Health, Probation, and the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator. Outside agencies 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. In accordance with the grant application, the steering committee conducts yearly meetings to review progress on the program goals.
Pursuant to County Policy 05-13 and in accordance with Cal OES Subrecipient Handbook Section 1350, the Department seeks Board approval to submit the grant application. Expanding services to reach victims of crime faster and in remote areas will benefit residents and furthers the County’s goals and objectives.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Katherine Hardy, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 17, 2022; Finance (Kathleen Gonzalez, Finance Analyst, 387-5412) on August 25, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Office, 387-5423) on August 29, 2022.