Title
Joint resolution authorizing the renewal of the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center’s Victim of Crime Act (VOCA) victim advocate grant program awarded by the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Illinois (CACI) for fiscal year FY23, including grant funding of $260,967 for the period of July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023.
Staff Summary
• The grant is administered through the Children’s Advocacy Centers of Illinois for the performance period of July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023.
• This grant funds a portion of the salary and benefits for three victim advocates (including a bilingual advocate) at the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center.
• The victim advocates provide comprehensive, supportive services to children who have experienced sexual/physical abuse in Lake County, and their non-offending family members.
• Program goals include providing advocacy services for child victims of abuse and their non-offending family members, preventing re-victimization of children through education, providing emotional support, and maintaining the current staff of victim advocates in order to provide efficient services to abused children.
• Through this funding, the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center will be able to support their current programming by assisting their multi-disciplinary partners with Spanish speaking forensic interviews and advocacy for clients.
• Program funding includes federal funds in the amount of $260,967.
• The Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center provides funding for program expenses in excess of expenses covered by the federal grant funding.
• If funding for these positions ends, and new funding is not secured, the positions will be eliminated.
Body
RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Illinois (CACI) announced a 12-month continuation of a Victims of Crimes Act (VOCA) grant for the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center (LCCAC) program to provide advocacy services to child victims of abuse during the period of July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023; and
WHEREAS, the federal grant funds of $260,967 will fund a portion of the salary and benefits for three victim advocates (including a bilingual advocate), and funding will be provided by the LCCAC for expenses in excess of expenses covered by the federal funding; and
WHEREAS, the federal grant award must be formally accepted by Lake County, and it is necessary to appropriate the grant continuation funding; and
WHEREAS, the State’s Attorney’s Office recommends that the Chairman of the
County Board, the State’s Attorney, and the Treasurer be authorized to execute the necessary documents to accept and execute the grant extension; and
WHEREAS, if funding for these positions ends, and new funding is not secured, the positions will be eliminated.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by this County Board of Lake County,
Illinois, the Children’s Advocacy Center of Illinois VOCA grant continuation for the period of July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023, is hereby accepted and execution is hereby authorized; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that an emergency appropriation in the amount of $260,967 in federal grant funding and offsetting revenue is hereby authorized for the CACI VOCA program grant as detailed in the attached chart of accounts; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the State’s Attorney and Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center shall serve as project director for the program, and accurate records of all necessary grant compliance requirements shall be kept by the Lake County Children’s Advocacy Center; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Lake County Chairman of the Board, the Lake County State’s Attorney, and the Lake County Treasurer are hereby authorized to execute the necessary documentation to accept the grant award.
DATED, at Waukegan, Illinois, on July 12, 2022.