To: Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Paul Dunaway 565-3673, Gary Fontenot 565-5931
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Victims of Crime Act KE Emergency Shelter Funding Award
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt a Board resolution accepting the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services Victims of Crime Act KE grant funding in the amount of $306,424 for the grant period of October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021.
B) Adopt a budget resolution authorizing budgetary adjustment to the FY20-21 budget in the amount of $229,818. (4/5th Vote Required)
C) Adopt a position resolution to expand the Human Services Department Position Allocation to add 1.0 Time-limited Full-Time Equivalent Program Planning Evaluation Analyst to serve as an Elder Shelter Coordinator for the term of February 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021.
D) Authorize the Director of the Human Services Department to amend a contract with Petaluma People Services Center to increase funding from $49,900 to $166,320 for the term of October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021.
end
Executive Summary:
The Sonoma County Human Services Department (HSD) submitted a reapplication to the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) for Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) KE grant funding and was awarded funding for the period of October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2021. The VOCA KE program provides victim advocacy, case management and transitional housing services to victims of elder abuse who are at risk of homelessness and who need emergency housing and support from social work staff to develop safety and emergency housing plans. Cal OES requires a board resolution to accept funding for the VOCA KE program.
Discussion:
The Cal OES VOCA Program provides case management and purchased services, including short term emergency shelter, to victims of elder abuse who are at risk of homelessness and who need emergency housing. Clients receive a psychosocial assessment and work with a social worker to develop a safety plan and an emergency housing plan. Abuse victims receive assistance in looking for appropriate shelter/housing and they receive support for up to 45 days after a placement is found. During the 45-day placement, a social worker provides services in partnership with the victim to create a permanent housing plan.
In 2017, the Human Services Department, Adult and Aging Division, was initially awarded this funding to create the Emergency Shelter Program (ESP) for elder and dependent adult victims fleeing abuse. This program was established to provide emergency shelter and housing assistance as well as specialized services for elder and dependent adult abuse victims.
Between May 2018 and September 2020, the ESP served 41 victims of elder abuse who were at risk of homelessness. The ESP is recognized as a best practice elder abuse emergency shelter program by the Weinberg Center in New York, and Sonoma County ‘s ESP is a member of the Spring Alliance, a network of elder shelters operating nationwide.
HSD has contracted with Petaluma People Services Center (PPSC) to lease and manage an apartment in a senior community to provide temporary shelter for elders and dependent adults fleeing abuse. Additionally, HSD has expanded its partnership with PPSC to administer the direct services portion of the ESP. PPSC will take the lead in providing crisis case management, developing an emergency housing plan for victims, and coordinating emergency shelter and victim services.
Sonoma County lacks housing options for the elderly, especially those who are low-income. This has been exacerbated by the multiple wildfires in 2017, 2019 and 2020. Combined with the high cost of housing in Sonoma County, the challenge of finding stable long-term housing for elder abuse victims has only increased since the VOCA KE grant was initiated in Sonoma County in December 2017.
HSD is requesting to add a Program Planning and Evaluation Analyst (PPEA) that will serve as the Elder Shelter Coordinator (ESC). The ESC will assist in long term systems planning and engagement with countywide housing, victims’ services, and senior service partners with the goal of program sustainability once the California Office of Emergency Services funding ends. The ESC will focus their efforts on working with the complex array of systems of care in Sonoma County to develop long-term housing options with community partners, as well as sustaining the emergency shelter program for elder and dependent adult victims of abuse. The PPEA position will be funded by the KE grant award for the term of February 1, 2021 through September 30, 2021.
After September, HSD will initially pay for the position through realignment revenues from October 1, 2021 through January 31, 2022 as bridge funding until the next cycle of KE funding is received. When the next round of KE funding is received, position costs claimable under the grant after October 1 will be fully reimbursed to recoup the Realignment bridge funding. Cal OES grants are awarded in 5-year cycles and this is the 4th year that Sonoma County has been awarded funds. Years 2-4 are non-competitive applications. Bridge funding is required since the funding cycle ends in September and the notice of award often comes up to 3 months later. The use of Realignment funding as a stop-gap will help ensure continuity of staffing and the overall program.
Prior Board Actions:
December 10, 2019: Board adopted VOCA KE grant funding and approved a Social Service Worker IV Time-Limited Position
April 17, 2018: Board accepted new Human Services funding for housing and case management services
April 17, 2018: Board adopted a resolution to adjust position allocations for the Human Services Department, Adult and Aging Services Division due to new grant funding for the California Housing and Disability Advocacy program; California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services VOCA grant and the Home and Community Based Alternatives waiver program to extend 1.0 Full Time Equivalent time-limited Social Service Worker IV position to September 30, 2019.
January 24, 2017: Board approved HSD to sign and execute an agreement with Senior Advocacy Services for $164,000 to fund an Elder Justice Coordinator for the contract period February 1, 2017 through June 30, 2018 for the Victims of Crime Act under the original grant funding.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 20-21 Adopted |
FY 21-22 Projected |
FY 22-23 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
|
76,606 |
|
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
229,818 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
229,818 |
76,606 |
|
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
|
|
|
|
State/Federal (including Realignment) |
229,818 |
76,606 |
|
|
Fees/Other |
|
|
|
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
229,818 |
76,606 |
|
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
HSD received $306,424 from the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (Cal OES) to administer the VOCA-KE, of which $229,818 will require appropriation in FY 2020-2021 with the balance left for the subsequent FY 2021-2022. Program expenses are fully covered by funds from Cal OES. No County General fund is needed, as no local match is required--i.e., the local match was waived - to draw down state and Federal funds.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
|
|
|
|
Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
Program Planning & Evaluation Analyst |
$6,443.98 - $7,831.92 |
1 |
0 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
No impacts.
Attachments:
Attachment 1 - Award Letter
Attachment 2 - Cal OES Resolution
Attachment 3 - Budget Resolution
Attachment 4 - Position Resolution
Attachment 5 - PPSC Contract
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None