TITLE
Title
CONVERSION TO COUNTY FUNDING SOURCE TO SUPPORT EXISTING NAVIGATOR POSITIONS FOR FAMILY JUSTICE CENTER
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SPONSOR
Sponsor
Catherine Johnson
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BACKGROUND
Background
In 2020, the Guilford County Family Justice Center (GCFJC) received a two-year grant award from the North Carolina Governor’s Crime Commission (GCC) to fund two (2) Navigator positions, one for each GCFJC location. Before grant funding was received, the GCFJC had four (4) County-funded Navigators between Greensboro and High Point. Due to capacity and the high demand for services for children, adults, and seniors impacted by domestic and sexual violence, grant funding was sought in order to keep the GCFJC fully operational. Unfortunately, in 2022 state allocations for victims of crime decreased 66%, going from $103 million to $64 million, making the grant application process very competitive. The GCFJC was not awarded continued funding for the 2022 grant award cycle for these two (2) essential Navigator staff positions and grant funds for the 2020 project will end on September 30, 2022.
Navigators are core to GCFJC operations, providing life-saving resources, coordination, and support for victims seeking assistance from the GCFJC. Annually, the GCFJC helps over 13,000 residents. As the portal of entry for all services, Navigators are responsible for triaging client needs, providing information about GCFJC partner services, and completing safety and lethality assessments. In addition, Navigators provide case coordination and follow-up with GCFJC partner agencies including law enforcement, social workers, mental health providers, court professionals, attorneys, advocates, and medical professionals. In our community’s most dangerous domestic and sexual violence cases, Navigators are key in the identification, coordination, and support of victim safety and offender accountability goals and outcomes. And as the hub of the wheel, Navigators are essential to the GCFJC operational framework.
The GCFJC is requesting to convert the two grant-funded Navigator positions to two 100% County-funded positions, one in Greensboro and one in High Point. The cost for both positions during a full fiscal year is $148,040. This budget request is for total costs over the nine-month period remaining in FY23, $111,030.
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BUDGET IMPACT
Budget Impact
General Fund Budget Ordinance Amendment
$111,030 increase in appropriated Fund Balance
$111,030 increase in appropriation to Family Justice Center
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REQUESTED ACTION
Requested Action
Approve the conversion of two (2) Governor's Crime Commission (GCC) grant funded Navigator positions into two (2) County-funded Navigator positions, one for Greensboro and one for High Point, effective October 1, 2022. Approve an increase of $111,030 in County funds and increase the Family Justice Center budget by the same amount, to provide for all full expenses related to both positions for the remainder of FY23.
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