To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): District Attorney
Staff Name and Phone Number: Carla Rodriguez, 565-2311; Shane Lewis 565-3150
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Extension of Grant-funded Time-Limited Position in the District Attorney’s Office
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Adopt a position Resolution extending the 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) time-limited Victim Witness Advocate II position through November 30, 2026 to support continuation of Family Justice Center (FJC) Navigator services through the California Office of Emergency Services Family Justice Center Grant Program.
end
Executive Summary:
The District Attorney is requesting to extend a time-limited position at the Family Justice Center through November 30, 2026. This position is funded by a grant through the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) and is currently approved through May 31, 2026.
The Family Justice Center (FJC) Grant Program is a two-year program that started on April 1, 2024, and expired March 31, 2026; The program will be renewed for another two-year term from April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2028. CalOES released the Request for Application for the renewal in January 2026, and the Family Justice Center Sonoma County has submitted their application. Although the award has not yet been finalized, this is a non-competitive program for established Family Justice Centers, and funding is expected to be awarded. Applications were due February 23, 2026. However, CalOES has not provided a date by which grantees will be officially notified of the award, and it is possible that notification will not be received until after the start date of the new grant term. The purpose of this board item is to request extension of the grant-funded position which will be supported with the Family Justice Center Fund Balance (Fund 11131, Department ID 18010600) until the grant is awarded.
Discussion:
The CalOES Family Justice Center Program provides much-needed funding to provide services to victims of sexual assault/domestic violence, child/elder abuse, dating violence, and stalking in Sonoma County. The purpose of the program is to support fully operational multiagency, multidisciplinary Family Justice Centers with State General Funds. Available funding for the April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2028 program is up to $312,500 per applicant. Grant funds will provide funding for one full-time time-limited Victim Witness Advocate II. Salary and benefits for this position is estimated at $151,250 per year, based on budget projections, and grant funds will cover the entire amount.
At this time, The District Attorney’s Office is requesting to extend the time-limited position through November 30, 2026 to ensure continuity for this critical program. When the grant award is received it will be brought before the board for permission to accept the award and extend the position for the full grant term through March 31, 2028.
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
December 3, 2024: The Board approved the acceptance of additional funding from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services’ Family Justice Center Program for the grant term April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2026.
July 23, 2024: Board authorized the District Attorney to execute a contract with the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services to accept grant funding for the Family Justice Center Grant Program and authorized the addition of the 1.0 FTE time-limited Victim Witness Advocate position to the department allocation table for the grant term of April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2026.
March 12, 2024: Board approved Resolution Number 24-0078, the acceptance of additional funding from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services’ Family Justice Center Program for the grant term April 1, 2022 through March 31, 2024.
April 19, 2022: Board approved Resolution Number 22-0150, the acceptance of California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services’ Family Justice Center Program for the grant term April 1, 2022 through March 31, 2024.
March 19, 2019: Board approved Resolution Number 19-0114, the acceptance of California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services’ Family Justice Center Program for the grant term January 2019 through December 2020.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY25-26 Adopted |
FY26-27 Projected |
FY27-28 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$41,719.17 |
$125,157.52 |
$104,297.93 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$41,719.17 |
$125,157.52 |
$104,297.93 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal |
|
$125,257.52 |
$104,297.93 |
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
$41,719.17 |
|
|
|
General Fund Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$41,719.17 |
$125,257.52 |
$104,297.93 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
The District Attorney’s Office will utilize the Family Justice Center fund balance (Fund 11131, Department ID 18010600) to cover the salary and benefits of the Victim Witness II until the grant award is received. This proposed use of fund balance is permissible. Once awarded, salary and benefit expenditures from April 1, 2026 through November 30, 2026 will be billed to the grant and the costs paid with fund balance will be reimbursed.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
Victim Witness Advocate II |
$6,976 - $8,480 |
0 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
The FJ program is expected to have sufficient funds to cover salary and benefits for the Victim Witness Advocate II for the full grant term of April 1, 2026 through March 31, 2028, as well as two-year membership with the California Family Justice Network.
Attachments:
Resolution
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A