Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Stephen M. Wagstaffe, District Attorney
Subject: Grant Award Agreements with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services, for the Unserved/Underserved Victim Advocacy and Outreach Program
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing the District Attorney to submit annual grant applications and execute similar agreements with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services for the Unserved/Underserved Victim Advocacy and Outreach Program for the periods of January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023, January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 and January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025.
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BACKGROUND:
The County has received funding for the Unserved/Underserved Victim Advocacy and Outreach Program since 2010 from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES). Cal OES requires the County Board of Supervisors to approve the application and executed agreement for grant funds for Unserved/Underserved Victim Advocacy and Outreach Program. The District Attorney will submit an application for the grant funds for the period of January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023. Because the Cal OES requires a new application and executed agreement each year, for the sake of efficiency, the District Attorney seeks Board approval to submit a grant application and execute a grant award agreement for the periods of January 1, 2023 to December 31, 2023, January 1, 2024 to December 31, 2024 and January 1, 2025 to December 31, 2025.
DISCUSSION:
The Unserved/Underserved Victim Advocacy and Outreach Program was established in 2010. The Program, administered at the local level by the Office of the District Attorney, provides comprehensive services to diminish the adverse effects of crime on unserved/underserved crime victim populations in California by establishing victim advocacy positions solely dedicated to the unserved/underserved population in order to coordinate direct services in an enhanced response to victimization of specific crime populations among locally involved agencies and implement an outreach awareness program to the specific population. In addition, the Program provides services to victims of child abuse, elder abuse, false imprisonment, kidnaping and attempted kidnapping, criminal threats, robbery and attempted robbery, hit and run, drunk driving and driving under the influence, attempted homicide as well as survivors of homicide.
There are several notable trends in San Mateo County that continue to impact crime victim services in our community, such as the lack of affordable community-based counseling agencies as well as a lack of an adequate number of shelter beds designated for crime victims.
County Attorney has reviewed and approved the resolution as to form.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The funding requested from Cal OES for period of January 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022 is $182,723 with a local agency match of $29,464. The funds were included in the District Attorney’s Office FY2022-2023 Adopted Budget.