BE IT RESOLVED, that Agreement A2211354 accepting $500,000.00 in FY 22 Invited to Apply – Byrne Discretionary Grants Program funds from the U.S. Department of Justice for the period March 15, 2022 through September 30, 2023, be approved; that a supplemental appropriation of $100,000 to the approved 2022 ARS budget, with the remaining $400,000 allocated to the 2023 budget; that the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the Agreement on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse funds as directed.

The Hennepin County Adult Representation Services Department was invited to apply for these funds by the U.S. Dept. of Justice. ARS applied for funding to launch a preventive program called the Health Equity Legal Project. The goal is to provide upstream legal and social supports to parents who are pregnant or just gave birth and at risk of child protection involvement, with a focus on those with substance use disorder.

The $500,000.00 grant will fund a team of parent mentors, a program coordinator, a data analyst, and contracts with service providers for wraparound supports for families.

Black, Indigenous and families of color are disproportionately represented in the child protection system and experience disparate outcomes. The activities funded by this grant align with the County’s commitment to reducing racial disparities by promoting family preservation and diverting cases from court for families who might otherwise become deeply involved in the child protection system.

The program requires no local match and payments will be received on a reimbursement basis. There is the opportunity for a future award to provide additional funding for the program.