To: Board of Supervisors
From: District Attorney
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
.title
Acceptance of Subrecipient Allocation, Establish a Fixed Asset Line Item for the purchase of a forensic interview recording system for Grant Fiscal Year 2020-21 April 1, 2020 - March 31, 2021, Child Advocacy Center Program KC19030120 Funding budget unit 1100-211 line item 8986 (4/5 Vote Required)end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Retroactively approve authorization for Humboldt County District Attorney Maggie Fleming, or a designee thereof, to accept, and execute any and all documents necessary to administer, modify and reapply for grant funding made available by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services through the Child Advocacy Center Program;
2. Approve the appropriation transfer of line item funding to establish a fixed asset line item for the purchase of Capture Technologies Interview Room Management System; and
3. Authorize the Auditor-Controller’s Office to post the appropriation transfer that will establish a fixed asset line item for the Child Advocacy Center Program budget unit 1100-211 for $23,685 for equipment line item 8986 and make any technical changes necessary to completely facilitate this request.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES), District Attorney - Child Abuse Services Team (1100-211)
DISCUSSION:
In acceptance of the Child Advocacy Center Program for Grant Fiscal Year 2019-20 (Attachment 1) the Board authorized the Humboldt County District Attorney to reapply for grant funding made available by the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) through the Child Advocacy Center Program.
On April 17, 2020, CalOES awarded the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office grant funding through the Child Advocacy Center Program to allow for the continued operation of the county’s Child Abuse Services Team Program. The grant funding made available through the Child Advocacy Center Program is to be used in providing personnel training and fund a 2.0 full time equivalent Victim Witness Program Specialist position that will be assigned to the Child Abuse Services Team.
Due to COVID-19 and operational shut-down of county departments and continual changes in departmental operations in adjusting to the national pandemic restrictions that lead to re-review of a significant amount of case files and continual restructuring of office duties to available personnel and moving office locations for the Child Abuse Services Team and Victim Witness offices, the District Attorney is seeking retroactive approval to accept the funds and execute any and all documents necessary to administer, modify and reapply for grant funding made available by the CalOES through the Child Advocacy Center Program.
The program award originally awarded funds for personnel training for the CAST multi-disciplinary team to attend training in January 2021. Due to COVID nationwide travel restrictions the team was unable to travel and attend the approved training. The District Attorney’s office requested a modification to the program budget to create redundancy in the Forensic Interview System. After vendor evaluation and product asset in meeting the needs of the forensic interview process Capture Technologies was selected. The grant modification was approved by Cal OES on March 30, 2021. The Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office is requesting the Board of Supervisors approve the appropriation transfer to establish a fixed asset line item for the purchase of the Interview Room Management System and to authorize the Auditor-Controller’s Office to post the appropriation transfer that will establish a fixed asset line item for the Child Advocacy Center Program budget unit 1100-211 for $23,685 for equipment line item 8986.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Retroactive approval to accept the funds made available by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services through the Child Advocacy Center Program will allow the Humboldt County District Attorney’s Office to be reimbursed up to a maximum of $175,000 performed by the Child Abuse Services Team in accordance with the scope of work described in the grant agreement for the period of April 1, 2020 through March 31, 2021.
Expenditure appropriations related to acceptance of the grant funding made available by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services through the Child Advocacy Center Program have previously been included in the approved fiscal year 2020-21 budget for budget unit 1100-211. As a result, acceptance of such grant funding will not impact the Humboldt County General Fund.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
This action supports your Board’s Strategic Framework by protecting vulnerable populations and providing community-appropriate levels of service as well as managing our resources to ensure sustainability of services and investing in county employees.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES)
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board may choose not to retroactively authorize the Humboldt District Attorney, or a designee thereof, to accept, and execute any and all documents necessary to administer, modify and reapply for, the grant funding made available by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services
through the Child Advocacy Center Program. However, this alternative is not recommended since it does not allow for the continued operation of the county’s Child Abuse Services Team Program.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Board Order C-14, File No. 19-1760
2. Grant Award Letter
3. Grant Modification Approval Letter
4. Appropriation Transfer
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: C-14
Meeting of: December 16, 2019
File No.: 19-1760