Subject:
Title
Grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice for the Pinellas Criminal Domestic Battery Response Improvement project.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval of the grant award from the U.S. Department of Justice for the Pinellas Criminal Justice Domestic Battery Response Improvement project.
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Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
2.2 Be a facilitator, convener and purchaser of services for those in need
Summary:
The Pinellas Criminal Domestic Battery Response Improvements Project will enhance services for victims and defendants who are parties to misdemeanor domestic battery, domestic assault, stalking, and other related domestic violence charges. This project is a collaboration between the County, the Sixth Judicial Circuit, Community Action Stops Abuse (CASA), The Haven of Religious Community Services, Inc. (RCS), and the Pinellas County Sheriff. The partners will work together to ensure victim safety and offender accountability.
Planned initiatives for this project will: 1) add two to four Batterers Intervention Program groups at the jail; 2) provide early access to advocacy and referral services to domestic violence victims; 3) test domestic violence probationers for substance abuse monthly; 4) create a multidisciplinary domestic violence advisory group; and 5) train stakeholders to identify and address the specialized needs of LGBTQ victims of domestic violence and victims of sex trafficking.
Background Information:
Funding for this award is through the Office on Violence Against Women program for Improving Criminal Justice Responses to Sexual Assault, Domestic Violence, Dating Violence and Stalking. The Pinellas County Civil Domestic Violence Court will provide enhanced services with an emphasis on both defendants and victims. The project’s aim is to provide additional services in over 5,000 cases during the three-year grant period.
Under a previous three-year domestic violence grant awarded to the County in 2014, there were 881 victims who received legal representation and case management services for sexual assault, domestic violence and dating violence.
Fiscal Impact:
The amount of the grant is $864,210.00 over three years. There is no cash match. This grant was not included in the FY19 Tentative Budget and a budget resolution may be required to recognize and appropriate this funding in FY19.
Staff Member Responsible:
Daisy Rodriguez, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Sixth Judicial Circuit
Pinellas County Sheriff
Community Action Stops Abuse, Inc.
The Haven of Religious Community Services, Inc.
U.S. Department of Justice
Attachments:
Grant Award Documents
OMB Intent to Apply
Grant Budget
Project Narrative
Memorandum of Understanding