Title
Adopt a Resolution to Approve and Authorize the City Manager to Execute an Agreement with Family Violence Law Center in an Amount Not-to-Exceed Amount $300,000 for the Domestic Violence Outreach and Mobile Unit Program for Services Through June 30, 2025
Staff report
COUNCIL PRIORITY
• Housing and Homelessness
SUMMARY
In March 2022, the City of San Leandro entered into an agreement with Family Violence Law Center (FVLC) to establish a domestic violence outreach and mobile unit pilot program. The domestic violence outreach and mobile unit program consists of a partnership between the community-based organizations FVLC, Building Futures (BF), and Safe Alternatives from Violent Environments (SAVE). The program consists of domestic violence case management, community outreach, coordination with police and fire regarding 24-hour services, youth focused leadership development and coordination with stakeholders such as local hospitals and other urgent health care facilities. The agreement with FVLC expired in December of 2023. Staff recommends City Council approval to continue funding the domestic violence outreach and mobile unit program. The funding is for one and a half fiscal years for a total of $300,000.
RECOMMENDATION
Staff recommends that the City Council authorize the City Manager to execute an agreement with FVLC in the amount of $300,000 for a period of January 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
BACKGROUND
The City of San Leandro’s Human Services Gap Analysis identified the need for domestic and intimate partner violence services. According to data from the Department of Justice, domestic violence-related calls for assistance in San Leandro have fluctuated in recent years, from a high of 348 in 2017 to a low of 84 in 2021. According to data provided by Alameda County Department of Public Health, from 2013 to the third quarter of 2015, San Leandro hospitals were amongst the highest to receive domestic violence related hospital visits.
ANALYSIS
Following City Council approval, staff will enter into an agreement with FVLC for the domestic violence outreach and mobile unit. The domestic violence outreach and mobile unit program consists of a partnership between the community-based organizations FVLC, Building Futures (BF), and Safe Alternatives from Violent Environments (SAVE).
FVLC provides survivor-centered legal and crisis intervention services in San Leandro. They are the lead partner in this program and their role is to facilitate monthly meetings with BF and SAVE to coordinate survivor advocacy efforts, monthly meetings with San Leandro Police Department for ongoing coordination of referral protocols for survivors, monthly meetings with health providers and other stakeholders working with community members experiencing violence and health issues, including the Community Assessment and Transportation Team (CATT), the San Leandro Homeless Compact and the future First Responder Mental Health Team. Cases are managed in house and cases are referred to BF and/or SAVE depending on the survivor’s needs. The scope of work includes trainings along with BF on gender-based violence dynamics and trauma informed approaches for SLPD, ACFD, street outreach teams and all San Leandro partners.
BF provides shelter and support services to families and individuals fleeing an abuser, as well as a 24-hour help line, community outreach/education, counseling and referrals for legal and other services. Their role in this program is to attend the monthly coordination and referral meetings facilitated by FVLC and to manage cases referred to them from FVLC depending on the survivor’s needs. Additionally, BF will conduct trainings along with FVLC on gender-based violence dynamics and trauma informed approaches for SLPD, ACFD, street outreach teams and all San Leandro partners.
SAVE works in partnership with the SLPD to provide services to prevent and reduce domestic violence, along with support to victims and their children. Their role in this program is to attend the monthly coordination and referral meetings facilitated by FVLC and to manage cases referred to them from FVLC depending on the survivor’s needs.
FVLC, BF, and SAVE dedicated staff conduct outreach to locate and provide supportive services for domestic and sexual assault survivors in San Leandro, including survivors who are homeless or living in crowded conditions. San Leandro-focused staff develop close working relationships with a wide range of stakeholders in San Leandro, including but not limited to Davis Street Family Resource Center, Tiburcio Vasquez Health Center, San Leandro Hospital, La Clinica de la Raza, Asian Health Services, LifeLong Medical Care, Kaiser Hospital, and other urgent care facilities so that the particular needs of survivors in San Leandro are addressed holistically.
Survivors experiencing housing instability will benefit from these partnerships by receiving focused services. Additionally, staff provide training to street outreach and other homeless serving teams, and to the San Leandro Police Department (SLPD) and Alameda County Fire Department (ACFD) about gender-based violence and trauma-informed practices. Staff are mobile to provide services at locations most accessible for the people served. Staff have also developed referral systems with SLPD and ACFD so that survivors can access services quickly and efficiently, 24/7/365.
Survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault in the City of San Leandro will benefit from having dedicated staff available to support them. Language access is a key consideration in planning for and delivering human services. In San Leandro, more than half of the roughly 21,500 people who speak Asian or Pacific Island languages, and half of the estimated 16,800 who speak Spanish at home, speak English less than very well. Therefore, to meet the diverse needs of the community, FVLC and BF have recruited staff who are bicultural and bilingual in Spanish and Chinese for these positions. FVLC and BF will utilize language access resources to serve those who do not speak languages offered by staff.
Previous Actions
• November 15, 2021 - City Council approval and authorization to City Manager to establish the program.
Legal Analysis
The City Attorney has reviewed the documents and agreements and approved them as to form.
Financial Impacts
The total cost for this agreement is $300,000. Sufficient funds are included in the Fiscal Year 2024 budget for Human Services Department budget for consulting services.
• Human Services, Account 010-63-014-5120: $300,000
• Total $300,000
This item will not impact overall fund balance as the funds have already been allocated through the regular Fiscal Year 2024 budget process. Funds allocated to this agreement will extend and be carried through Fiscal Year 2025.
ATTACHMENTS
• Attachment A: Resolution Authorizing Grant Agreement
PREPARED BY: Jessica Lobedan, Director, Human Services