Minutes 05/23/2023 - Laserfiche WebLink

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May 23, 2023 Financial Impact:  The funding available to assist citizens in need would increase by $100. Recommended Action:  Adoption of the ordinance. Next Steps Following Council Action:  Finance will make the appropriate budget adjustments. Motion by Ms. Lucas-Burke, and seconded by Mr. Tillage, to adopt the following ordinance, and was adopted by the following vote: “ORDINANCE ACCEPTING WITH APPRECIATION A DONATION IN THE AMOUNT OF $100 FROM NATIONAL DRIFTERS, INCORPORATED AND APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT TO THE FY 2023 SOCIAL SERVICES FUND BUDGET FOR USE BY THE DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES FOR THE FOOD PANTRY.” Ayes: Hugel, Lucas-Burke, Moody, Tillage, Whitaker, Glover Nays: None 23 - 184 - Adoption of an ordinance accepting funding in the amount of $12,500 from the Virginia Department of Social Services and appropriating said amount in the FY 2023 Social Services Fund Budget for use by the Department of Social Services to address issues related to high acuity children in foster care. Background:  On April 1, 2022, Governor Youngkin announced the creation of the Safe and Sound Task Force in response to the increasing number of high acuity children in foster care that have been unable to be placed in resource homes, group homes or residential treatment facilities.  The Safe and Sound Task Force is focusing on increasing access to community- based treatments; expanding support for kinship, foster, and adoptive families; and enhancing trauma-informed care for children in foster care who are displaced or at risk of being displaced. Discussion:  The Portsmouth Department of Social Services has been awarded a mini-grant in the amount of $12,500.  The grant is active from 04/17/2023-06/30/2023.  The grant will allow the Department to revitalize and refurbish the existing supervised family visitation areas, develop a decompression room for staff that are managing difficult cases including child fatalities, and provide additional training and support for staff working with high acuity children and families. Financial Impact:  There is no local match required for the grant. Recommended Action:  Adoption of the ordinance. Next Steps Following Council Action:  Finance will make the appropriate budget adjustments. Motion by Mr. Moody, and seconded by Ms. Lucas-Burke, to adopt the following ordinance, and was adopted by the following vote: “ORDINANCE ACCEPTING FUNDING IN THE AMOUNT OF $12,500 FROM THE VIRGINIA DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES AND APPROPRIATING SAID AMOUNT IN THE FY 2023 SOCIAL SERVICES FUND BUDGET FOR USE BY THE PORTSMOUTH DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES TO ADDRESS ISSUES RELATED TO HIGH ACUITY CHILDREN IN FOSTER CARE.”