Domestic violence grants.

Existing law establishes a grant program for the development and support of domestic violence programs and services for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community. Existing law requires the Office of Emergency Services (OES) , renamed the California Emergency Management Agency (Cal EMA) , to use funds from the Equality in Prevention and Services for Domestic Abuse Fund to award up to 4 grants annually to fund domestic violence programs and services for the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender community, including, but not limited to, all of the following: (1) 24-hour crisis hotlines, (2) counseling, (3) court and social service advocacy, (4) legal assistance with temporary restraining orders, devices, and custody disputes, (5) community resource and referral, (6) household establishment assistance, (7) emergency housing, and (8) educational workshops and publications. This bill would revise that provision to instead specify that the Cal EMA shall award grants annually to fund domestic violence intervention, education, and prevention programs and services for that community, including, but not limited to, any of the components described above as well as batterers intervention and warmlines. Existing law provides that organizations reapplying for grants under the grant program described above shall not be subject to a competitive grant process, but shall be subject to a request for application process. Existing law also provides that any organization funded through this program in the previous grant cycle shall be funded upon reapplication, except as specified. This bill would delete the above provisions and would provide that grant recipients shall be required to provide at least 10% matching funds, unless this requirement is waived by the Secretary of Cal EMA. The bill would also require grant recipients, as a condition of receiving funding, to ensure that appropriate staff and volunteers having client contact meet the definition of "domestic violence counselor" as specified by other existing law. This bill would additionally require the Cal EMA to consult with the State Department of Public Health to consider consolidation of their respective domestic violence programs, as specified, and to report its conclusions to the Legislature no later than June 30, 2011. The bill would make other related changes to those provisions.