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PROPOSED RESOLUTION
PROPOSED RESOLUTION FOR SAFE AND THRIVING COMMUNITIES PROGRAM INITIATIVES IMPLEMENTED BY THE JUSTICE ADVISORY COUNCIL
WHEREAS, on March 11, 2021, the federal government authorized the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (“ARPA”) which includes $1.9 trillion in federal stimulus funds to hasten the United States’ recovery from the economic and health effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic; and
WHEREAS, specifically, the federal government has authorized and allocated a federal award of approximately $1,000,372,385B of ARPA funding to Cook County to assist the County in its recovery from the economic and health effects of COVID-19; and
WHEREAS, on June 24, 2021, the Cook County American Rescue Plan Act Framework (the “ARPA Framework”) was presented to the Cook County Board of Commissioners; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Board of Commissioners via Resolution 21-3654 accepted the ARPA federal award allocated to Cook County to assist the County in its recovery from the economic and health effects of COVID-19 in the amount of approximately $1,000,372,385.00; and
WHEREAS, Resolution 21-3654 further authorized the Cook County Budget Director and Comptroller to create and implement a Special Purpose Fund for the ARPA award and other accounting measures to track the acceptance and spending of the federal award; and
WHEREAS, the Cook County Board of Commissioners authorized the Chief Financial Officer, Budget Director, Chief Procurement Officer and applicable using agencies to issue grants, contracts and agreements for ARPA programs approved via Resolutions 22-3657 and 22-0637; and
WHEREAS, to further the Policy Roadmap Goal, the Justice Advisory Council has developed a menu of Safe and Thriving Community programs and initiatives which have undergone review and approval through the Project Management Office process to utilize ARPA funding for such programs and initiatives pursuant to the issuance of grants, contracts, and agreements; and
WHEREAS Resolutions 22-3657 and 22-0637 provided that any grants issued regarding ARPA programs in an amount over $1M shall require the approval of the Cook County Board of Commissioners; and
WHEREAS, In June and July of 2022 the Cook County Board approved Resolutions 22-3550 and 22-4291 for the Justice Advisory Council’s (JAC) Gun Violence Prevention and Reduction Grant Awardees; and
WHEREAS, The JAC identified 34 awardees representing 68 organizations and $75 million of awards as recipients of recipients of ARPA Initiative NT897 : Gun Violence Prevention and Reduction Grants through Resolutions 22-3550 and 22-4291, but received 190 applications totaling a request of roughly $500,000,000; and
WHEREAS, The JAC committed to searching for additional funding to support highly qualified applicants from ARPA Initiative NT897 : Gun Violence Prevention and Reduction Grant program; and
WHEREAS, the Illinois Department of Human Services (IDHS)- Office of Firearm Violence Prevention (OFVP) reviewed and endorsed the JAC’s application review process for ARPA Initiative NT897 and has awarded the JAC $25,000,000 to support funding an additional 39 Cook County Gun Violence Prevention and Reduction applicants, representing 74 organizations; and
WHEREAS, these awards will be made to applicants providing street outreach intervention, case management and victim services in the geographic areas defined as communities impacted by gun violence in the Reimagine Public Safety Act (RPSA) (430 ILCS 69); and
WHEREAS, the RPSA calls for a comprehensive approach to reducing firearm violence through targeted, integrated behavioral health services and economic opportunities in communities with the greatest concentration of firearm victims; and
WHEREAS, the OFVP will enter into a uniform grant agreement with Cook County to fund a diverse array of service providers focused on supporting residents at high risk of experiencing gun violence as either a victim or perpetrator in communities with the highest rates of shooting incidents and shooting-related homicides; and
WHEREAS, services funded shall include Victim Services, Case Management, Street Outreach and Intervention; and
WHEREAS, the total award from IDHS will be disbursed in two award periods with the first award totaling $5,000,588 during an award period of 02/01/2023 - 06/30/2023, to align with the state fiscal year; and
WHEREAS, the remainder of the $25,002,942 shall be awarded on or about 07/01/2023 for JAC to distribute to the 39 selected awardees for an award period running from 07/01/2023 through 06/30/2024.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Cook County Board of Commissioners hereby approves the issuance of the following agreements by the Justice Advisory Council to utilize ARPA funding for multiyear terms through June 30, 2024, subject to appropriation by the Board in accordance with state and county fiscal years, for the Justice Advisory Council programs and initiatives as follows:
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