Explanation
BACKGROUND
This ordinance authorizes the Administrative and Presiding Judge of the Franklin County Municipal Court to accept a grant in the amount of $20,000.00 from the Franklin County Office of Justice Policy & Programs, and to appropriate the total amount of the grant from the unappropriated balance of the general government grant fund to the Department of Pretrial and Probation Services of the Franklin County Municipal Court. This grant will provide funding assistance for interpreter services provided to low risk domestic violence defendants assigned to behavioral health services.
Franklin County Municipal Court serves a highly diverse community. The Department of Pretrial and Probation Services (DOPPS) supervises defendants who are placed on probation, through risk assessment, case planning, and if warranted, referral to community partners for behavioral health services. While it is expected that behavioral health agencies provide interpreters for clients who require assistance in their native language, and they are eager to serve our diverse community, it is a costly component for any program to bear.
It is estimated that 30 lower risk domestic violence defendants per year require language interpretation services. Languages that have been identified include Spanish and Nepali most frequently, but could also include Somali, Yoruba, Khmer, French and Cantonese. Grant funds will assist the FCMC DOPPS in offsetting costs associated with providing interpreters for the intake/assessment/services. Services could be provided in groups if/when multiple participants attending simultaneously could attend group sessions with the assistance of one interpreter- or through individual sessions to cover the materials.
Emergency Legislation is requested so that the grant funds can be utilized as soon as possible.
FISCAL IMPACT
$20,000.00 will be expended from the General Government Grant Fund.
Title
To authorize and direct the Administrative Judge of th...
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