To: Board of Supervisors
From: Diana Becton, District Attorney
Report Title: Office for Victims of Crime FY25 Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking Grant Application
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the District Attorney, or designee, to apply for and accept the Office for Victims of Crime FY25 Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs, in an amount not to exceed $750,000 for the period July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2029.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The County will receive up to $750,000 federal grant funding over the 3-year award period. If awarded, the grant will require a $250,000 County match ($83,333 annually), for a total project of up to $1,000,000. The required match of $83,333 for year one has been included in the District Attorney’s FY26-27 budget. The remainder of the required match for years two and three will continue to be absorbed within the Department’s existing allocations for FY27-28 and FY28-29. There will be no new general fund allocations or ongoing additional personnel costs requested during the award period. If awarded, the $750,000 federal grant revenue will be included in the departmental budget through a mid-year budget amendment.
BACKGROUND:
The Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office previously received both the FY18 and FY22 Enhanced Collaborative Model (ECM) Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking grant programs from the Federal Office for Victims of Crime (OVC) for the award periods of FY18-22 and FY22-26. The District Attorney’s Office intends to apply for a new cycle of this grant funding under the OVC FY25 ECM Task Force to Combat Human Trafficking grant program for the period FY26-29. The ECM program strengthens multidisciplinary task forces that integrate law enforcement and victim service providers to prevent, detect, investigate, and prosecute sex and labor trafficking offenses while ensuring survivors receive coordinated, trauma-informed, culturally responsive, and victim-centered services.
As the law enforcement lead agency for the Task Force, the Contra Costa County District Attorney’s Office will use grant funds to support personnel costs for Task Force staff; expand proactive, intelligence-driven sex and labor trafficking investigations and enforcement operations; implement a comprehensive countywide human trafficking prevention and public awareness campaign; develop multilingual and culturally appropriate outreach and educational materials; enhance training and capacity-building efforts for law enforcement, service providers, and other key stakeholders; conduct strategic planning to strengthen long-term sustainability and interagency coordination; and expand the Task Force’s survivor leadership program to inform policy development, improve service delivery, and strengthen community-based responses throughout Contra Costa County.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If not approved, the District Attorney’s Office will be unable to apply for and accept these federal funds to support and expand the County’s coordinated response to human trafficking.