The Chief of Police for the Houston Police Department (HPD) requests City Council approval of a Subrecipient Agreement between the City of Houston and Houston Area Women’s Center (HAWC) that will expire on December 31, 2024, with two automatic successive one-year terms. The Agreement will provide up to $926,250.00 in ARPA Recovery Funds for the following services:
1. Case management for survivors of domestic violence and sexual assault
2. Non-congregant emergency shelter
3. Security Services
4. Client supplies, food, and transportation services
5. Healthcare and wellness services
The Houston Area Women’s Center will provide emergency shelter services to support the mission of the Houston Domestic Abuse Response Team (D.A.R.T) through the Victim Services Division for the Houston Police Department. The Domestic Abuse Response Team (D.A.R.T.) is a multidisciplinary crisis response designed to immediately engage high-risk victims of domestic violence once violence is reported to law enforcement. D.A.R.T was developed to decrease the revictimization and escalating violence that often precedes intimate partner homicide.
By engaging the criminal justice, healthcare, and social systems. The Domestic Abuse Response Team aims to:
(1) Prioritize victim safety;
(2) Facilitate access to the resources survivors need to escape the cycle of violence; and
(3) Enhance offender accountability in high-risk domestic violence cases.
The Domestic Abuse Response Team’s objective is to provide essential services to victims of domestic violence, link domestic abuse victims to emergency shelter or alternative housing; provide nutrition and wellness, health and medical services, including medical care, follow up treatment and essential medications, advocacy and therapy.
The City has determined the funds the City is providing to subrecipient under this agreement are reasonable and necessary expenditures to address the COVID-19 public health emergency and such funds were not included in the City’s approved budget as of the countersignature date.
Fiscal Note:
No Fiscal Note is required on grant items.
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Troy Finner
Chief of Police