44.
Commissioners Court - Regular Session
- Meeting Date:
- 08/30/2022
- Title:
- Subaward Grant Funds for Juvenile Services
- Submitted By:
- John Pelczar, Juvenile Services
- Department:
- Juvenile Services
- Agenda Category:
- Regular Agenda Items
Information
Agenda Item
Discuss, consider, and take appropriate action on accepting subgrant award money from the University of Texas-Austin for Juvenile Services.
Background
In 2021, Williamson County Juvenile Services began partnering with STEP UP Texas as a sub-grantee along with Bluebonnet Trails Community Services under a federal grant that UT Austin received from the Department of Justice (Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention).
We are in year 2 of 3 of this grant cycle and have made great progress collectively in training and supporting key critical contact points that can lead to juvenile justice involvement -- specifically we have been training Williamson County schools, community agencies, law enforcement, juvenile justice, and court/legal staff in trauma-informed care and restorative practices.
Additionally, we have formed a local task-force of school, juvenile justice, law enforcement, and community leaders who have begun analyzing 10 years of WCJS data (2010-2020) with the goal of implementing policy changes and community interventions that will reduce referrals to WCJS as well as reduce disproportionate minority contact with WCJS.
We have made great strides but have much more work ahead. Fortunately, UT Austin just received a 2nd set of funding to continue the project beginning in August 2022 through June 2025.
On August 30 WCJS is asking the Commissioners Court to approve the following:
1) approve a new full-time (FTE) WCJS position -- Training and Technical Assistance Professional (TTAP) -- that will be fully grant-funded through a sub-award from the University of Texas at Austin; and
2) requesting that Williamson County continue to approve receiving salary reimbursement funds as a percentage of salary for Asst. Executive Director Matt Smith and Data and Records Manager Michael Decker from the University of Texas at Austin through this 2nd grant. Under the initial set of grant funding of the current grant (FY 2019 grant), the county will receive salary reimbursement for these two positions in the amount of $191,932.
Since January 2021, Williamson County has been receiving 10% salary reimbursement for the position of Asst. Chief Matt Smith for his work on the project. With this 2nd set of funding, Williamson County will receive the following through July 2025:
1) continued salary reimbursement for Asst. Chief Matt Smith and Data and Records Manager Michael Decker
2) 100% salary including fringe and annual raises (2022 7%, 2023 5%, 2024 5%) for a WCJS Training and Technical Assistance Professional (TTAP) -- we built in robust raises so that the grant would be able to fully cover the salary throughout the duration of the grant. There will be no cost to the county for this position.
Regarding the new position, we have a current employee who is interested and is highly qualified as she is a TBRI Practitioner who has trained locally in the juvenile justice system. She is aware that this is a grant-funded position and that it expires in June 2025. UT Austin has been encouraged to apply for a 3rd set of funding for the project so there is potential it will extend beyond 2025.
We will not need to increase any budget line items for this new employee including cell phone, computer, supplies, etc. We do have adequate office space for this employee here at the JJC.
The Training and Technical Assistance Professional (TTAP) will provide training and technical assistance to Williamson County ISDs, WCJS, and the juvenile court and legal system in trauma-informed care and restorative practices.
Attached is the scope of work along with the budget for both the FY 2019 Grant and the FY 2021 Grant. This new position is fully funded by the grant throughout the remaining years and will also result in salary reimbursement returned to the county in the amount of $405,281.039 over the life of the project (FY 2019 Grant + FY 2021 Grant). There is no county match and this is not a descending order grant -- it is fully funded through June 2025.
We are in year 2 of 3 of this grant cycle and have made great progress collectively in training and supporting key critical contact points that can lead to juvenile justice involvement -- specifically we have been training Williamson County schools, community agencies, law enforcement, juvenile justice, and court/legal staff in trauma-informed care and restorative practices.
Additionally, we have formed a local task-force of school, juvenile justice, law enforcement, and community leaders who have begun analyzing 10 years of WCJS data (2010-2020) with the goal of implementing policy changes and community interventions that will reduce referrals to WCJS as well as reduce disproportionate minority contact with WCJS.
We have made great strides but have much more work ahead. Fortunately, UT Austin just received a 2nd set of funding to continue the project beginning in August 2022 through June 2025.
On August 30 WCJS is asking the Commissioners Court to approve the following:
1) approve a new full-time (FTE) WCJS position -- Training and Technical Assistance Professional (TTAP) -- that will be fully grant-funded through a sub-award from the University of Texas at Austin; and
2) requesting that Williamson County continue to approve receiving salary reimbursement funds as a percentage of salary for Asst. Executive Director Matt Smith and Data and Records Manager Michael Decker from the University of Texas at Austin through this 2nd grant. Under the initial set of grant funding of the current grant (FY 2019 grant), the county will receive salary reimbursement for these two positions in the amount of $191,932.
Since January 2021, Williamson County has been receiving 10% salary reimbursement for the position of Asst. Chief Matt Smith for his work on the project. With this 2nd set of funding, Williamson County will receive the following through July 2025:
1) continued salary reimbursement for Asst. Chief Matt Smith and Data and Records Manager Michael Decker
2) 100% salary including fringe and annual raises (2022 7%, 2023 5%, 2024 5%) for a WCJS Training and Technical Assistance Professional (TTAP) -- we built in robust raises so that the grant would be able to fully cover the salary throughout the duration of the grant. There will be no cost to the county for this position.
Regarding the new position, we have a current employee who is interested and is highly qualified as she is a TBRI Practitioner who has trained locally in the juvenile justice system. She is aware that this is a grant-funded position and that it expires in June 2025. UT Austin has been encouraged to apply for a 3rd set of funding for the project so there is potential it will extend beyond 2025.
We will not need to increase any budget line items for this new employee including cell phone, computer, supplies, etc. We do have adequate office space for this employee here at the JJC.
The Training and Technical Assistance Professional (TTAP) will provide training and technical assistance to Williamson County ISDs, WCJS, and the juvenile court and legal system in trauma-informed care and restorative practices.
Attached is the scope of work along with the budget for both the FY 2019 Grant and the FY 2021 Grant. This new position is fully funded by the grant throughout the remaining years and will also result in salary reimbursement returned to the county in the amount of $405,281.039 over the life of the project (FY 2019 Grant + FY 2021 Grant). There is no county match and this is not a descending order grant -- it is fully funded through June 2025.
Fiscal Impact
| From/To | Acct No. | Description | Amount |
|---|
Attachments
Form Review
| Inbox | Reviewed By | Date |
|---|---|---|
| County Judge Exec Asst. | Becky Pruitt | 08/25/2022 08:48 AM |
- Form Started By:
- John Pelczar
- Started On:
- 08/24/2022 06:26 PM
- Final Approval Date:
- 08/25/2022