To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS - Public Health and Sheriff’s Office
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Governing Board Resolution for the Proposition 64 Public Health & Safety Grant Program 2023-2028 (4/5 vote required)
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Approve and authorize the Chair to sign the Governing Board Resolution No. (Attachment 1) authorizing the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) Director, the Sheriff, the Sheriff’s Deputy Director of Financial and Support Services, or DHHS -Public Health (DHHS-PH) Director to submit the grant proposal for the Proposition 64 Public Health & Safety Grant program and if awarded, accept grant funds and sign any documents required by Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) for participation in the program;
2. Direct the Clerk of the Board to return an executed copy to DHHS - Contract Unit and the Sheriff’s Office to the attention of Regina Fuller, Deputy Director for submittal to funding agency.
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC)
DISCUSSION:
The purpose of this grant program is to fund projects that assist with law enforcement efforts, fire protection efforts, or other local projects addressing public health and safety associated with the implementation of the Control, Regulate, and Tax Adult Use of Marijuana Act (AUMA). The grant program was first announced in 2020 with Cohort 1 funding and the Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office (HCSO) was a recipient of those funds which will end on September 30, 2023.
DHHS Public Health and HCSO are collaborating for Cohort 3 funding. The two project purpose areas for this funding that they are focusing on are:
Youth prevention and intervention programs addressing preventing youth substance use and addiction and/or intervening to promote healthy behaviors and environments while minimizing illness, injury, and other harms associated with substance use.
Public safety programs to address the prevention and protection of the public from dangers affecting safety such as crimes or impacts due to the legalization of cannabis.
The Public Health Substance Use Prevention Program (SUP) would use funding from this grant to support existing Health Education Specialists (HES) to do cannabis prevention education and support prosocial youth activities with partners, working to build connections with tribal youth groups and the Latino community. Additionally, it would leverage the existing county relationship with Southern Humboldt Family Resource Center (Center) to continue to provide youth focused outreach, drug prevention and educational services. The Center was contracted with by HCSO to achieve youth prevention goals under the Prop 64 Cohort 1 Grant. If awarded this Cohort 3 grant, the services would be able to continue versus being terminated.
HCSO would use the funding to continue its enforcement on the black-market cannabis industry by maintaining the two (2) FTEs that were funded with the Prop 64 Cohort I grant. The Cohort 3 funding would allow for the continuation of an additional Deputy Sheriff to assist with the investigation of marijuana-related crimes and the Crime Analyst that assists with intelligence gathering and analysis to better inform the distribution of department resources to fight marijuana crimes. If not awarded, these two positions will be de-allocated as of October 1, 2023 at the end of the Cohort 1 funding.
If awarded, BSCC will fund a 5-year grant cycle beginning May 1, 2023 and ending on April 30, 2028.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
If awarded, the county would receive up to $3,000,000 in funding over the 5-year grant cycle to be split evenly between DHHS and HCSO. There is no other financial obligation associated with receiving the grant, and there would be no impact to the General Fund.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by seeking outside funding sources to benefit Humboldt County needs while enforcing laws and regulations to protect residents.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
California Board of State and Community Corrections
Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board could deny the request to sign the Governing Board Resolution and submit the grant application. This is not recommended as these grant funds are integral to the continuation of the county’s marijuana control programs and to further support youth prevention and intervention of marijuana use.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1: Governing Board Resolution
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: N/A
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: N/A