TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager, or designee, to execute an agreement, and all necessary documents and any subsequent amendments, including amending the contract amount, with the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, to accept and expend grant funding in the amount of $175,252, for the Innovative Reponses to Marginalized Victims Program, for the period of January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021, with the option to extend the agreement for three additional one-year periods, at the discretion of the City Manager. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
Since 2018, the City of Long Beach (City) Health and Human Services Department (Health Department) has operated the My Sister's Keeper Intervention and Empowerment (MSK) Program to support marginalized victims of human trafficking in the City. The MSK Program partners with any person who has suffered physical, sexual, financial, or emotional harm resulting from human trafficking exploitation.
The mission of the MSK Program is to implement a victim-centered, multidisciplinary response to human trafficking in Long Beach through trauma-informed victim services, collaborative investigation and prosecution. The program’s goal is to reduce victimization and the commercialization of sex and labor exploitation by using court diversion efforts coupled with comprehensive services such as access to case management, educational empowerment, and employment services, offered by our network of providers. The awarded funding will also provide financial resources to the City Prosecutor’s Office to offer court-mandated linkage to services, with access to tattoo removal, transportation, emergency food services, and access to trauma recovery services offered by Memorial Care Trauma Recovery Center. This funding also supports the MSK Program Manager role who coordinates the provider network, making these services available to victims of human trafficking.
The Health Department currently serves as the backbone entity in the Citywide effort to increase knowledge of best practices and work to enhance provider network collaboration to reduce human trafficking.
This matter was reviewed by Deputy City Attorney Taylor M. Anderson on May 11, 2021 and by Revenue Management Officer Geraldine Alejo on May 14, 2021.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
City Council action is requested on June 8, 2021, to allow Health Department to continue the program.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City will receive funding in the amount of $175,252 for a one-year period from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021. The grant award is currently budgeted in the Health Fund Group in the Health and Human Services Department. There is no match or in-kind service mandate. This recommendation has no staffing impact beyond the normal budgeted scope of duties and is consistent with existing City Council priorities. There is no local job impact associated with this recommendation.
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
KELLY COLOPY
DIRECTOR
HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
APPROVED:
THOMAS B. MODICA
CITY MANAGER