Title:
Grant Application - NC Governor’s Crime Commission - Juvenile Justice Planning Committee
Summary
ACTION:
1) Approve submission of a grant application for a total of $551,281 for the term of October 1, 2019 - September 30, 2021 to the US Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, and the Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention in support of 3 DSS (YFS) positions; and
2) If awarded, recognize, receive and appropriate the grant funds; and
3) Authorize three additional positions in the Department of Social Services, Youth and Family Services Division: 3 Mental Health Licensed Clinicians (market rate: $67,507)
Staff Contact: Peggy Eagan, Director Department of Social Services
Presentation: No
BACKGROUND/JUSTIFICATION:
Child protective services social workers are often exposed to secondary traumatic stress (STS) during their work. STS is compounded when the workers are faced with a child fatality on a new or open case. Presently, Youth and Family Services (YFS) has no coordinated response for the benefit of workers responding to fatalities; and because of this, YFS does not consistently utilize best practices with staff to address and manage STS. Response to the effect of fatalities in a way that reduces STS and supports staff in the days following a fatality is necessary for staff's emotional and mental health, and ultimately reduces burnout and increases staff retention. This grant would allow for the creation of a team of clinicians who will immediately respond for the benefit of social workers who are faced with child fatalities and other critical incidents. The addition of a Fatality/Critical Incident Response Team will allow the agency to advance the agency’s Practice Model initiative and support the agency’s Organizational Health strategies.
The Fatality/Critical Incident Response Team will also work with the Mecklenburg County Child Fatality Prevention and Protection Team (CFPPT) to integrate and communicate recommendations made by the Mecklenburg CFPPT, the State Child Fatality Prevention Team, and the Child Fatality Task Force.
PROCUREMENT BACKGROUND:
N/A
POLICY IMPACT:
The addition of this program/team is in conjunction with the agency’s mission and values. Taking care of staff’s emotional and mental health needs is imperative for adequate and appropriate service provision to children and families in Mecklenburg County. The receipt of the grant does not negatively impact policy but will instead allow Mecklenburg County to enhance policy by having a team provide best practices and address secondary traumatic stress caused by child protective services work when responding to fatalities and other critical incidents.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Increase in federal revenue and associated expenses in the amount of the grant award, up to $551,281.