Agenda - 02-01-1994 - VIII-I - Laserfiche WebLink

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2 The Juvenile Services Division also receives reports of chronic undisciplined children. These children have not yet committed a crime, but they are at-risk and intervention is warranted. However, limited staff resources prohibit follow-up. The Department of Social Services' (DSS) mandate is to investigate referrals involving abuse/neglect perpetrated by caretakers of children. DSS also receives numerous case referrals from the Sheriff' s Department, other law enforcement agencies, Juvenile Services, and citizens within the community. These referrals include many requests for services that do not meet the statutory definition of child abuse/neglect from which DSS operates. Because a definite need exists between these agencies, we would like to develop a VOCA grant proposal to establish a family intervention focus. The grant would provide funding for a two year period. Two crisis counselors, if approved, will be located organizationally in the Sheriff 's Department. They will work cooperatively with the Domestic Violence Coordinator and law enforcement officers as members of a "Crisis Team" . This team will be able to respond 24 hours/day, 7 days/week to domestic related situations involving the Sheriff' s Department. The team will work in partnership with the Juvenile Services Division, DSS, and possibly, the schools to address these unmet community needs involving youth. At present, there are no other sheriff departments in North Carolina that staff crisis counselors. Similarly, the Chapel Hill Police Department is the only police unit in the state that maintains social workers as crisis counselors. (They were also one of the first in the country to do so. Their program was implemented in 1973 and is one of only three in the country today) . Staff is currently in the process of developing this proposal. It is to be submitted to the N.C. Department of Crime Control and Public Safety, Governor' s Crime Commission by February 15, 1994. RECOOMNDATION(S) : Because of the time frame required for submitting an application to the NC Department of Crime Control and Public Safety for this above-referenced grant the Manager recommends that the Board approves submittal of the application. However, the manager also recommends that the Budget Director and Manager review the priorities of this proposal in the context of other long-term priorities of the Sheriff and Social Services Departments prior to the Board approving receipt of any grant funds. The reason for this recommendation is that final approval of this grant appears to commit the County after the first two years to continue funding the program with county funds. If that is true, then the expected outcome of this program should be evaluated in comparison to other priorities of these departments that will require future county funding.