Title
a. Receive a status update report in response to Board Referral No. 2021.19 seeking to create a Farmworker Resource Center that provides services and referrals in the community of Greenfield.
b. Provide further direction, as appropriate.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Receive a status update report in response to Board Referral No. 2021.19 seeking to create a Farmworker Resource Center that provides services and referrals in the community of Greenfield.
b. Provide further direction, as appropriate.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
Referral No. 2021.19 was submitted by Supervisor Lopez on September 23, 2021 (see Attachment 1- Board Referral No. 2021.19) and assigned to the Agricultural Commissioner’s Office, which provided a preliminary analysis report in response to the referral on October 26, 2021, and a more in-depth analysis on February 1, 2022. (See Attachment 2- update analysis report.) On this latter date, the Board directed staff to pursue AB 941 grant funding and appropriated $250,000 from the County’s Cannabis Program funding for the creation of a Farmworker Resource Center in the community of Greenfield. (See Attachment 3- Board Order ID No. 22-088).
Background-
AB941- Farmworker Assistance: Resource Centers is a recently signed assembly bill that requires the State Department of Community Services (CSD) to establish a grant program for counties to establish farmworker resource centers that would provide farmworkers and their families information and access to services, ranging but not limited to the following; labor and unemployment rights, education, housing, immigration, and health and human services. At the February presentation, staff reported conducting outreach with the following organizations to learn about the services that should be provided in the Farmworker Resource Center; United Way, County Health Department, VIDA Project, County Social Services, Centro Binacional para el Desarollo Oaxaqueño, and Ventura County Farmworker Resource Program staff. At the conclusion of staff’s presentation to the Board on February 1, 2022, the Board directed staff to apply for State grant funding under AB 941 and appropriated $250,000 of County Cannabis Program funding to begin the process of creating a Farmworker Resource Center.
Status Update-
After the Board’s direction on February 1, 2022, to begin the process for the creation of a Farmworker Resource Center, staff has worked diligently to advance the direction of the Board and has established communication with the State of California Department of Community Services & Development (CSD) who is the AB941 grant funding grantor to ascertain the time schedule of the grant application availability. Staff has learned the following:
• A grant application is not yet available. CSD reports it may be available by the end of 2022.
• Per AB941 legislation, CSD is required to convene a workgroup that will develop goals and evaluation criteria for Farmworker Resource Center grant applications and grantees.
• Said workgroup shall be comprised of nine (9) members in the following classifications:
o A non-management representative from an existing farmworker resource center;
o Three (3) representatives from a community-based organization serving farmworker communities;
o A representative from a community-based organization that works with indigenous communities;
o A representative from the Labor and Workforce Development Agency;
o A representative from a local Public Health Department;
o A representative from the County Welfare Directors Association of California; and
o A representative from a farming community.
• The legislation appropriated $3 Million Dollars to assist counties interested in establishing or expanding farmworker resource programs.
• A Fact Sheet for the Farmworker Resource Center Grant Program (see Attachment 4) was developed by CSD.
While the grant program guidelines are developed by the State, staff has continued to prepare for the grant application by engaging and collaborating with other government agencies that may be required to be partners in the creation and administration of the Farmworker Resource Center, depending on the eligibility requirements that are established by the CSD. In addition, staff continues to consult with Ventura County’s Farmworker Resource Program, Program Manager to understand the administration components of their Program and of the services they provide including their experiences. From this consultation, staff has identified a key position that should be created as the leadoff for the Farmworker Resource Program which is a Management Analyst position. Staff is conducting a preliminary job analysis of this identified key position in consultation with Human Resources and Finance staff.
On April 13, 2022, Monterey County Agricultural Commissioner Henry Gonzales was invited to meet with County Supervisor Chris Lopez and staff, as well as State Assemblymember Robert Rivas and staff, and with the Social Services and Health Department Directors to discuss the progress and Department roles in planning for the Farmworker Resource Center. At this meeting, suggestions were made to engage local stakeholders as well as other community and government organizations that should be involved in the process. This is the first of future meetings to keep the planning on the Farmworker Resource Center moving forward.
Conclusion and Staff’s Recommendation-
Staff recommends that the Board direct staff to return with another update after the AB941 grant application is available to report on the guideline requirements and the anticipated course of action.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Staff consulted with the State of California Department of Community Services & Development, Ventura County Human Services Agency-Farmworker Resource Program, County Department of Social Services, County Department of Health, Monterey County Supervisorial District 3 Office - Supervisor Chris Lopez, and State Assemblymember Robert Rivas’ Office - District 30.
FINANCING:
Acceptance of this report has no fiscal impact.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives
üEconomic Development
__Administration
üHealth & Human Services
üInfrastructure
__Public Safety
Prepared and Approved by: Henry S. Gonzales, Agricultural Commissioner, (831) 759-7325
Attachments:
Board Report
Attachment 1 - BOS Referral 2021.19
Attachment 2 - Update Analysis Report_02.01.2022 BOS Mtg.
Attachment 3 - Board Order_02012022_BOS Mtg
Attachment 4 - Grant Fact Sheet State CSD Farmworker Resource Center