Okaloosa County BOCC — September 1, 2015 — Edward Byrne Grant Program Agenda Request 9-1-15 — reading text

OKALOOSA COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS -AGENDA REQUEST- TO: HONORABLE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS FROM: CATHERINE WHITE, DRUG COURT MANAGER DATE: SEPTEMBER 1, 2015 SUBJECT: FEDERAL FISCAL YEAR 2015 EDWARD BYRNE MEMORIAL JUSTICE ASSISTANCE GRANT PROGRAM - JAG COUNTYWIDE — STATE SOLICITATION DISTRICT: ALL STATEMENT OF ISSUE: Request approval of the Safe Connections and Okaloosa County Sheriff's Office Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance grant program applications. BACKGROUND: The Florida Department of Law Enforcement, through the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) Program -JAG Countywide - State Solicitation, has allocated $58,454 to Okaloosa County to be used by local units of government. The JAG funds may be used by local units of government for state and local initiatives, technical assistance, training, personnel, equipment, supplies, contractual support, and information systems for criminal justice. The Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office, Crestview Police Department, Fort Walton Beach Police Department, Shalimar Police Department, and Safe Connections were the agencies selected to receive funds from this grant. The applicants are required to submit their grant application online by September 4, 2015, and submit two original fully executed grant applications to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement by September 10, 2015. Request to submit the following grant applications: a. Safe Connections - $24,617: Safe Connections serves and protects child victims of abuse, as well as serves adult and child victims of domestic violence. The center offers victims a safe and neutral environment with flexible scheduling within which to conduct supervised visitation and monitored exchanges. Safety is provided for victims of domestic violence by facilitating court-ordered visitation and monitored exchanges for the victims, sparing them any contact with their victimizer. Children are served by giving them an advocate and by maintaining a safe and secure place to visit without fear of exposure to emotional and/or physical harm. In order to address the impacts of child physical and sexual abuse, child neglect and abandonment, and domestic violence, this program strives to have an understanding of the dynamics of child abuse and exposure to violence, as well as the factors that determine the severity of a child’s response to this violence. Intervention and program services must be unique to the child’s situation. It has been suggested that programs that support parenting and the parent-child relationship while addressing the safety of the non-abusing caregiver have positive effects on a child’s ability to move forward after suffering the crises of family violence. Approved funding will be used to assist the center in providing a safe, supervised visitation and monitored exchange services to children who have been the victim of or who have witnessed acts of violence. Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office - $12,800: Grant funding will be utilized for the purchase/replacement of four heavy entry ballistic vests for Special Response Team members to enhance officer safety during high-risk operations. The vests to be replaced are approaching their end- of-life and were previously purchases with federal grant funds (not supplanting). OPTIONS: Approve or disapprove the grant applications. RECOMMENDATIONS: Approve the Safe Connections grant in the amount of $24,617 and the Okaloosa County Sheriff’s Office grant in the amount of $12,800. Authorize the Chairman’s signature on the 51% letter of support for the distribution of grant funds. Authorize Contracts & Grants to submit the online grant applications and other necessary grant documents as may be required during the term of the grant. Authorize the Chairman, as the County’s representative, to sign the subgrant application, amendments, or other grant documents as may be required during the term of the grant. RECOMMENDED BY: 0 @T\k}mfl&b&kfi Catherine A. White Drug Court Manager Court Administration