To: Dale K. Weighill, Governmental Operations Committee Chairperson
From: Jennifer Keillor, Friend of the Court Director
title
RE: Approval to accept Amendment #1 to the Acceptance of Access and Visitation Grant from the State Court Administrative Office for the FY ending in 2025
recommendation
BOARD ACTION REQUESTED:
The Friend of the Court is requesting approval to accept Amendment #1 to the Access and Visitation Grant from the State Court Administrative Office for the Fiscal Year ending in 2025.
BACKGROUND:
Every year, the State Court Administrative Office offers Access and Visitation Grant monies to Friend of the Court offices for the purposes of funding supervised parenting time and supervised exchanges of parenting time. Additional funding became available from the State Court Administrative Office and Genesee County has a great need for additional funding for supervised parenting time services.
DISCUSSION:
Supervised visitation services cannot be funded using the Title IV-D funding that funds the majority of Friend of the Court services. The Access and Visitation Grant is the only source of funding for these services through Friend of the Court. The original grant to Genesee County FOC was exhausted shortly after the first quarter of the fiscal year, and this amendment would provide additional funds for families who require these services. The Friend of the Court will be partnering with two agencies who are trained to provide supervised parenting time and exchange services, Family Matters and KIND. The Friend of the Court will be responsible for reviewing their invoices and assuring that both agencies are complying with the grant and contract requirements.
IMPACT ON HUMAN RESOURCES:
Friend of the Court staff review invoices and reports from the supervised visitation providers. No additional employees are required.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
The Friend of the Court has a separate fund for supervised visitation. The Amendment would increase the funds from $15,000 to $21,192.31 for FY 24-25. There will be no increase in County appropriation.
IMPACT ON FACILITIES:
None.
IMPACT ON TECHNOLOGY:
None.
CONFORMITY TO COUNTY PRIORITIES:
Friend of the Court furthers all County priorities by helping create Healthy, Livable, and Safe communities by communicating the available resources and services that the Friend of the Court offers. When families are provided these services in an inclusive and collaborative way, it leads to Community Growth and Long-Term Financial Stability for all families in Genesee County.
resolution
TO THE HONORABLE CHAIRPERSON AND MEMBERS OF THE GENESEE COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS, GENESEE COUNTY, MICHIGAN
LADIES AND GENTLEMEN:
BE IT RESOLVED, by this Board of Commissioners of Genesee County, Michigan, that the request by the Friend of the Court to authorize accepting Amendment #1 to the Access and Visitation Grant and grant program contract between the Genesee County Friend of the Court and the Michigan State Court Administrative Office, said amendment being necessary to increase the amount to $21,192.31 for the period commencing when executed by the Parties through September 30, 2025, to fund supervised parenting time and exchange services, is approved (a copy of the memorandum request and supporting documentation being on file with the official records of the July 16, 2025 meeting of the Governmental Operations Committee of this Board), the Friend of the Court is authorized to execute the grant program contract, and the Chief Financial Officer is directed to make any necessary line item budget amendments.