Sponsor: Public Health
Title
title
Grant Award from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety for Sexual Assault Services
end
Recommendation
recommendation
1. Ratify the submittal of the grant application to the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs, Crime Victim Services in the amount of $694,628 for Sexual Assault Services.
2. Accept a grant award from and approve a grant agreement with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs, Crime Victim Services for Sexual Assault Services for the period of October 1, 2021 through September 30, 2023 in the amount of $694,628.
3. Authorize the Chair and Chief Clerk to execute the grant agreement.
4. Authorize the County Manager to enter into agreements and amendments to agreements in accordance with the county’s procurement policies and procedures, provided the amounts are within the limits of the grant funding.
end
Background and Rationale
body
Public Health’s Sexual Offense Services (SOS) program receives annual state and federal grant funding from the Minnesota Department of Public Safety, Office of Justice Programs to provide 24/7 crisis advocacy, ongoing individual advocacy, counseling and support, community awareness, information and education. In addition, SOS program provides follow-up services to victims and secondary victims (those who are impacted by sexual violence such as family and friends of victims). SOS services have been provided in Ramsey County since 1976. SOS provides over 8,000 services to approximately 1,100 victims of sexual violence, annually.
Research and experience has shown sexual assault victims experience considerable short- and longer- term distress. Victims who worked with an advocate were less likely to blame themselves for the sexual assault and less reluctant to seek further help from community support systems. As a result of advocacy, they were more likely to receive services from community professionals and to have better recovery outcomes.
end
County Goals (Check those advanced by Action)
☒ Well-being ☐ Prosperity ☐ Opportunity ☐ Accountability
Racial Equity Impact
Public Health recognizes that sexual violence is supported by all forms of oppression. To address this, the goals, objectives and outcomes of SOS’s practices, structure and funding requests are centered to serve residents who are more likely to be marginalized in society. The funding of this grant supports 2 full time positions that provide direct crisis services to victims/survivors of sexual violence.
The majority of primary victim survivors served by SOS are non-White. Racially and ethnically diverse communities experience sexual violence at higher rates than White populations as reflected in the National Crime Victimization Survey and data collected by SOS. The disproportionate rate of sexual violence in racially and ethnically diverse communities is compounded by existing racial health disparities such as higher rates of diabetes, hypertension, obesity, asthma, and heart disease. These health disparities are highest in immigrant and refugee populations in Minnesota, many of whom live in Ramsey County. With the high disparity of sexual violence in the Black communities, the SOS program also provides outreach to local clinics, community-based programs, and faith-based communities; these efforts are coordinated by the leadership of Public Health’s Black staff and program partners.
The SOS program recognizes the value of a culturally informed approach and want to assist victims/survivors with a foundation of support. One of the ways is to always offer victim/survivors referrals to community culturally specific partner programs, including but not limited to: CLUES, ThinkSelf, MN Coalition Against Sexual Assault, Hmong American Partnership
Saint Paul Intervention Project, Tubman Family Alliance, and U of M Community University Health Care Center.
SOS is determined to make sexual violence advocacy services accessible to victims/survivors with limited English proficiency as well as deaf and hard of hearing individuals. Four of six staff speak and write fluently in another language (Hmong, Spanish, Arabic) and several more volunteer advocates speak additional languages including Somali, Swahili, Mandarin, Cantonese, French, Portuguese, and more. All employees and volunteers are trained on and access the Language Line as a tool to provide 24/7 translation services in over 240 languages.
In the last two years, SOS has engaged in multiple outreach activities with a diverse array of disciplines including multiple private and public schools, Public Health, Ramsey County Social Services, shelters for people experiencing homelessness, libraries, the National Guard, clinics, and other community-based programs. In partnership with the County Attorney’s Office, local law enforcement and medical providers, SOS helped train every new and current patrol officer in Ramsey County from all 9 law enforcement agencies in 2019-2020. SOS is also a standing member of the Ramsey County Children’s Multidisciplinary Team, especially with cases where there is risk of sexual violence and exploitation, and the Ramsey County Adult Protection Multidisciplinary Team. Additionally, SOS supported the Minnesota Department of Human Services in developing statewide training for nursing homes and elderly care facilities in identifying signs of sexual violence, mitigating risks, and supporting survivors.
Community Participation Level and Impact
SOS informs clients about and offers referrals to community culturally specific partner programs listed above. SOS has led and supported various community outreach events and campaigns including Start by Believing, an annual SOS Walk to Honor Survivors, and Sexual Violence Action Program with Saint Paul Public Schools. Additional methods of outreach and community involvement include an online evaluation of services for clients, an ASKSOS email for community members and stakeholders to easily connect with SOS staff, and when fiscally able, SOS provides focus groups to seek input from both victims and survivors but also community stakeholders. SOS has one staff member dedicated to outreach to provide awareness and education regarding sexual violence and SOS services. Additionally, the Sexual Assault Protocol Team is a partnership with over 90 people participating from over 30 agencies.
☒ Inform ☒ Consult ☒ Involve ☒ Collaborate ☒ Empower
Fiscal Impact
There is no fiscal impact. The $694,628 of funding from this grant is included in the proposed
2022-23 Public Health budget.
County Manager Comments
No additional comments.
Last Previous Action
None.
Attachments
1. Grant Agreement with the Minnesota Department of Public Safety