Leadership from the Family Justice Center Alliance ("the Alliance") will provide an informational presentation only, with no recommendations.

Leadership from the Family Justice Center Alliance ("the Alliance") will present to Council for a brief summary of the July Study Tour conducted by the Alliance.  The Alliance will also provide an overview of the Family Justice Center Strategic Planning session scheduled to take place from September 19th and 20th, with discussion groups including members of the community, the Alliance, and partnering agencies/organizations.  All the technical assistance offered by the Alliance is included in the City's previously-approved Contract with the Alliance.  (Contract expenses paid in full from the FY 2023 budget.)

As described above, the City agreed to use money allocated to the Crime Prevention and Domestic Violence Investigation Programs, along with some DVI Program grant funding, to Contract with the Family Justice Center Alliance in order to further the discussion of developing a Family Justice Center in the Billings community.  Development of a Family Justice Center would be consistent with the City's goals, including to reduce violent crime and to increase partnerships with community-based organizations.

Stakeholders currently include the City of Billings, the Billings PD, the YWCA, and numerous other community-based organizations and agencies from the Billings Area.  A current list of participating agencies is available upon request.

N/A.  Informational presentation only.
City Council may:

• Approve; or,
• Not Approve

The Contract with the Alliance was paid in full during FY 2023.  A portion of the Crime Prevention Program budget, the Domestic Violence Investigations Program budget, and some funds from the DVI Program's grant (VAWA grant 23-W02-1486) were used to pay the cost of the Contract.  The topics of future funding and sustainability of a future Family Justice Center will be discussed at the Strategic Planning session, but there is not an additional fiscal note to approve/disapprove at this time.  Strategic Planning will make every effort to ensure that funding for a Family Justice Center does not fall on any one specific agency, including the City.

As noted, this presentation is informational only.  It is intended to provide Council with an update on the City's contract with the Alliance, and to provide an update on the discussion related to developing a Family Justice Center.