Title
CONSIDERATION OF FEDERAL VICTIMS OF CRIME ACT (VOCA) GRANT IN THE AMOUNT OF $70,000.00 FUNDED THROUGH THE GOVERNOR’S GRANTS PROGRAM.
Presented by: Lt. Keith Allen, Sheriff’s Office.
RECOMMENDED ACTION: Approve the application for the grant, and if awarded authorize acceptance of the grant, authorize the chairman (or his designee) to sign grant documents, authorize the establishment of budget authority as provided in the Financial Considerations section of this Request, and authorize implementation of the Staffing Table changes identified in the Personnel Considerations section of this Request.
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The Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office provides public safety services to the citizens of Sedgwick County. The Sheriff’s Office provides these services to citizens living in both urban and rural areas of Sedgwick County. The Sheriff’s Office works closely with its community partners and is a member of the Wichita/Sedgwick County Coordinated Community Response Team (CCR). Through this close working relationship with other community advocacy organizations and through internal assessment, the Sheriff’s Office has identified a gap in immediate advocacy services for victims of crime in Sedgwick County, specifically for those victims and survivors who live in the more rural areas of Sedgwick County. The Sheriff’s Office identified this gap in services and acknowledged the need for a Victim Advocate position in the 2017-2020 Strategic Plan, which seeks to identify funding for the implementation of a Victim Advocate position in the agency.
Currently the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office works with other advocacy services to provide after-crisis services but lacks advocacy at the most critical time during crisis. Deputies and detectives, often with very limited trauma-informed training or experience advocating for victims, try to refer services and meet the needs of victims, but often fail to fully understand, identify or fulfill the victims’ needs. Introducing victim-oriented assistance at the time of crisis will increase the likelihood that victims will be connected to other community resources and will prevent victims from having to seek assistance during a traumatic time.
The Victim Advocate, working as a “first responder” for victims, will assist the Sheriff’s Office in better responding to the emotional and physical needs of crime victims and will provide early crisis intervention. The Victim Advocate will: assist primary and secondary victims with stabilization of their lives following victimization, assist victims in understanding the criminal justice system, educate victims of their rights as a crime victim, strive to provide a measure of safety to the victims. VOCA funding will allow for a new Victim Advocate position to be added to the Sedgwick County Sheriff’s Office, which will greatly improve the ability to serve and assist hundreds of victims of crime each year.
Grant Renewal: No
Never Applied: Yes
Applied; not awarded: No
Grant Summary and Timeline: This grant application must be submitted through the Governor’s Grant Program Portal by August 15, 2018 11:59 PM. Once awarded the project period runs from October 1, 2018 through September 30, 2019.
Financial Considerations:
Grant period starts: October 1, 2018
Grant period ends: September 30, 2019
Source of funding
Grant: $70,000.00
Required Match: $14,000.00
Required Cash Match: Optional
Required In-Kind Match: Optional
Other funding:$0
TOTAL SOURCES $82,800.00
Uses of funding (Note: Include any Required Matches in your totals)
Operational costs: $82,800.00
Personnel: $61,874.00
Contractual services: $15,300.00
Operational supplies: $6,826.00
Equipment: $0
Indirect administrative costs: $0
Capital projects cost:$0
TOTAL USES $84,000.
Source of matching funds: 17002-110 from available excess budget.
Source of other funding: N/A
Budget Authority Adjustment: Within the Sheriff Grant Fund, additional budget authority of $25,744 is being requested for fiscal year 2018; additional budget authority of $58,256 is being requested for fiscal year 2019.
Personnel considerations: Establish a new Victim Advocate Position within the Sheriff’s Office, to be placed on the staffing table within the Sheriff Grant Fund. The budget impact form for this position is attached.
Expected measurable outcomes:
The Sheriff’s Office is requesting VOCA funding to create a new Victim’s Advocate position, which will vastly improve our agency’s ability to assist victims of crime in our community. The Victim Advocate will bridge a gap in services and provide assistance, education and advocate for victims of crime at the time of crisis, a need which currently is largely unmet. A Victim Advocate, with specialized victim-oriented training and a thorough understanding of available victim resources, will greatly enhance our ability to provide and/or refer services to victims of crime. Crisis response, outreach and collaboration with other service providers will be the primary focus of the Victim Advocate
Requirements from Sedgwick County: The following reports are required; Monthly Financial Status Reports, Quarterly Performance Measurement Tool (PMT) Report, Semi-annual Grant Project Narrative Report and other reports as requested. The Standard Certifications for federal grants are attached.
Alternatives: Do not apply and forgo the position and related program.
Policy considerations: Complies with the County Grant Application Policy.
Legal considerations: The authority for this action is K.S.A. 19-101. A simple majority is required.