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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 12122006 - SD.5 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS Contra FROM: John Cullen, County Administrator Costa a e DATE: December 12, 2006 County s�`1 COUN� SUBJECT: Zero Tolerance for Domestic Violence S Y Oversight and Coordination SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECOMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: ADOPT, after public hearing, Resolution No. 2006/717, which authorizes and makes findings and declarations concerning a $1.00 per copy increase in fees for certified copies of marriage certificates, birth certificates, and death/fetal death records, effective January 1, 2007, for the purpose of providing funding for the County government's oversight and coordination of domestic violence prevention, intervention, and prosecution efforts in the County, pursuant to the Contra Costa County "Zero Tolerance for Domestic Violence" Act ("Act") (Health & Safety Code section 103626 & Welfare & Institutions Code, section 18308). FISCAL IMPACT: Current fees for certified copies are as follows: $19.00 for a birth certificate; $15.00 for a marriage certificate; and $14 for a death certificate. It is anticipated that a $1.00 increase in each of these fees could generate approximately $98,000 in additional revenues to carry out the purpose of the Act. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: —X—YES SIGNATURE: - -- - - - - - - _&�ECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR _RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COM EE APPROVE _OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION ----------------------- --- --- --- --- -------------------------------- ------------------------------------------- OF BOARD ON APPROVE AS RECOMMENDED OTHER —iUnanimous(Absent ) I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE Ayes: Noes: AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN Absent: Abstain: -) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE Vacant: District IV SHOWN. , / —-- ATTESTED f�/f ! ^/yam /Ot, s'OPEL CONTACT: Sara Hoffman,CAO JOHN CULLEN,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF Devorah Levine,CAO SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CC: Barbara Chambers,Clerk-Recorder Mary Ellen Garcia-Green, Health Services/Vital Statistics Auditor-Controller CAO l BY D EPUTY 3 ' THE BOARD'OF SUPERVISORS OF CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CALIFORNIA Adopted this Resolution on December 12, 2006, by the following vote: AYES:J � �/ NOES: t4o ABSENT: ABSTAIN: Resolution No. 2006/717 Subject: Zero Tolerance for Domestic Violence Governmental Oversight and Coordination WHEREAS, in February 2000,the Board of Supervisors declared "zero tolerance for domestic violence" in Contra Costa County; WHEREAS, In July 2001, Governor Gray Davis approved the Contra Costa County Zero Tolerance for Domestic Violence Act ("Act"), authorizing the Board of Supervisors to increase fees, up to a maximum increase of$2.00, for certified copies of marriage licenses, confidential marriage licenses, marriage certificates, birth certificates, fetal death records, and death records, effective January 1, 2002, with a repeal date of January 1, 2007, for the purpose of providing funding for the County government's oversight and coordination of domestic violence prevention, intervention, and prosecution efforts in Contra Costa County; WHEREAS, in 2001, the Board of Supervisors conducted a public hearing, made findings and declarations, and adopted Resolution No. 2001/559, which authorized a $1.50 increase in certified copy fees under the Act; WHEREAS, in 2003, the Board of Supervisors conducted a public hearing, made findings and declarations, and adopted Resolution No. 2003/687, which authorized an additional $0.50 increase in certified copy fees under the Act; WHEREAS, in total, the Board of Supervisors has increased the certified copy fees by $2.00 in accordance with the Act; WHEREAS, on September 30, 2006, Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger approved Senate Bill (SB) 968, which amended the Act by deleting the January 1, 2007 repeal date and increasing the Board of Supervisor's maximum authority to increase each fee for a certified copy from $2.00 to $4.00; and WHEREAS the Board of Supervisors is required under SB 968 to make findings and declarations supporting the need for governmental oversight and coordination of the multiple agencies dealing with domestic violence; NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors makes the following FINDINGS and DECLARATIONS under SB 968 (Health &Safety Code, § 103626&Welfare& Institutions Code, § 18308); 1. Domestic violence is costly, both in human and organizational terms. The results of domestic violence have many"hidden" costs, such as job turnover, loss of productivity, school absenteeism, and low school performance, in addition to the high cost of law enforcement, civil and criminal justice, health services, mental health services, substance abuse treatment, human services, and community-based services. 2. Domestic violence is ubiquitous. It is learned and generational. It cuts across all economic and education levels, all age groups, ethnicities, and other social and community characteristics. Domestic violence is insidious. It is characterized by a predictable, escalating 1 cycle that can result in injury or death of victims, including children. Domestic violence puts children at risk. 3. Domestic violence prevention, intervention, remediation, and the prosecution system are complex and multifaceted, spanning civil, criminal, health, and social service sectors. Agencies and County departments participating in the County's Zero Tolerance for Domestic Violence Collaborative include the Superior Court, District Attorney's Office(including the VictimMitness program), Public Defender's Office, County Probation Department, County Health Services Department, County Employment and Human Services Department (including children and family services, welfare-to-work and adult protective services) and community-based organizations. 4. Prior to Zero Tolerance, tThe objectives, protocols, policies, and activities of participating agencies and County departments were developed independent of each other and so were not designed to leverage resources or maximize effectiveness of collective efforts to combat is domestic violence. 5. Alignment in the objectives, protocols, policies, and activities of each involved sector and participating agency and County department requires County oversight and coordination of the multiple agencies involved in the domestic violence system. 6. Effective and efficient oversight and coordination of "zero tolerance for domestic violence" by the County includes holding participating agencies and County departments accountable through tracking results;; improving and enhancing automated systems for collecting and reporting data;; identifying programmatic gaps and seeking grant funding; and helping participating agencies and County departments work better with each other and internally. 7. Sharing data among multiple agencies with different mandates and perspectives assists each participating agency and County department in aligning objectives, policies, and activities. Analyzing critical data helps determine whether coordinated activities must be continued, redesigned or eliminated. 8. During the past five years, the County has made progress in the battle against domestic violence through its Zero Tolerance collaborative. The County has established a multi jurisdictional data system, set up a training program (involving law enforcement, courts, health and social service agencies), established restraining order clinics and other victim support services, intervened early with perpetrators of misdemeanor domestic violence offenses to prevent the escalation of violence to felony-level crimes, and increased resources to provide additional services. Outcomes include: Increased perpetrator accountability; 37% more perpetrators are being sent to 52-Week Batterers Treatment Program and monitored by specialized probation officers in 2005 than in 2001; the number of police reports completed for alleged misdemeanor offenses has increased by 85% since 1998, while the number of felony police reports has decreased by 67% since 1998. Increased protection for victims and children; an increased number (25%) of restraining orders (protecting victims and children from further violence) have been issued and entered in a multi-jurisdictional database (improving the enforcement of orders) since 2001; Increased access to services; a 900% increase in the number of domestic violence victims receiving assistance with achieving self sufficiency (by receiving a Cal WORKS waiver) from 2001 to 2005; Increased funding; awarded over $2.5 million dollars in federal funds and other grants to enhance service capacity (by adding a misdemeanor domestic violence detective and providing supervised visitation services); 9. The County is also piloting numerous new domestic violence prevention strategies, including, but not limited to, creating services for children exposed to domestic violence and working with men to prevent domestic violence before it begins. 2 10. Oversight and coordination has been the essential link in the County's comprehensive effort to eliminate domestic violence. 11. The County's oversight and coordination of"zero tolerance for domestic violence" has also resulted in the County's successful competition for grant funds used to address domestic violence. The County's reporting, evaluation, and accountability efforts in addressing domestic violence not only make the County more competitive for grant funding, but also can be a condition of the grant award. 12. At this stage in its oversight and coordination of"zero tolerance for domestic violence," it is necessary for the County to develop long term strategies (such as strategies for sustaining, institutionalizing, and identifying resources to continue to pay for effective activities). 13. The increased fees are necessary to make further progress in achieving the objectives of the Zero Tolerance for Domestic Violence Act and to cover the on-going cost of the County's oversight and coordination of the domestic violence system, as set forth above. NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors authorizes the following: A. An increase in the amount of $1.00 the fees for each certified copy of a marriage certificate, birth certificate and death/fetal death record, effective January 1, 2007, pursuant to SB 968 (Health & Safety Code, § 103626 & Welfare & Institutions Code, § 18308). B. The County Auditor-Controller shall continue to maintain a separate, interest-bearing special revenue fund for these additional fees. Pursuant to SB 968 (Welfare and Institutions Code § 18308), up to 4% of the special fund may be retained for administrative costs associated with collecting and segregating the additional fees and depositing the fees in the special fund. Otherwise, proceeds from the special fund shall be used for the governmental oversight and coordination of the domestic family violence prevention, intervention, and prosecution efforts among the various involved organizations and entities. C. Pursuant to SB 968 (Health and Safety Code § 103626), effective July 1 of each year, the Board of Supervisors may authorize an increase in these fees above the maximum of$4.00 by an amount equal to the increase in the Consumer Price Index for the San Francisco metropolitan area for the preceding calendar year, rounded to the nearest half-dollar. D. The projected fee schedule for the increased fee collection is as follows: Type of Fee Current Fee Proposed Fee Estimated Increased Fees (per certified co Generated Annually Death/Fetal Death Record $14.00/11.00 $15.00/$12.00 $ 53,680 Marriage Record $15.00 $16.00 $ 8,517 Birth Record $19.00 $20.00 $ 36,237 1 hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors onJthe date shown: ATTESTED: (date) m//�7 JOHN CULLEN, Clerk of the Board of Supervis rs and County Administrator PXI �� Deputy Contact: Sara Hoffman, CAO Devorah Levine, CAO 3