Student Trauma Notification Program Supplemental

The Student Trauma Notification Program Supplemental is administered by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services through its Victim Services Branch. This program is funded through the Children’s Justice Act, a federal funding stream designed to support state-level initiatives that improve responses to cases involving child abuse and neglect. The administering agency is responsible for coordinating competitive funding opportunities and ensuring that applicants meet administrative and programmatic requirements. The program is contingent on the availability of state and federal funds and the passage of the California State Budget Act for the applicable fiscal year. The primary purpose of the program is to establish and enhance notification systems within school districts that help reduce the negative impacts of trauma on children exposed to violence. These systems are intended to improve communication between first responders, educational institutions, and community-based service providers. By enabling timely awareness of traumatic events affecting students, schools can implement trauma-informed responses that support academic performance and behavioral stability. The program emphasizes early intervention and collaboration to prevent long-term adverse outcomes such as truancy, academic failure, and involvement in the juvenile justice system. Funding supports the development and implementation of structured notification systems modeled after existing initiatives such as Handle with Care and FOCUS. These systems allow first responders to notify schools when a child has been exposed to a traumatic event, without disclosing sensitive details. Schools then use this information to provide appropriate support through trained staff, including teachers and counselors. Allowable activities include system design, stakeholder coordination, training development, and implementation planning. There is no matching requirement for this funding, and selected applicants may be eligible for non-competitive continuation funding for up to two additional years, depending on funding availability. Eligibility is limited to California school districts and county offices of education that meet federal and state compliance requirements. Applicants must possess a Unique Entity Identifier and be registered in the federal System for Award Management. They must also demonstrate good standing with relevant state and federal agencies and provide formal authorization from their governing bodies to enter into grant agreements. Only one application per eligible entity will be considered, and proposals must meet a minimum scoring threshold to qualify for funding consideration. The application process is conducted through the Grants Central System, where applicants must register prior to submission. Proposals are evaluated based on responses to structured narrative questions, which are scored across defined criteria ranging from absent to excellent. Each proposal is reviewed by a panel, and final funding decisions are made by the Director of the administering agency. Applicants are notified electronically regarding funding decisions, including approval, denial, or ineligibility, along with scoring and appeal information where applicable. The program operates across three consecutive performance periods, each with defined milestones. The first period focuses on planning, partnership development, and system design. The second period emphasizes system development, testing, and training rollout. The third period requires full implementation and sustainability planning. Reporting requirements include quarterly progress reports documenting implementation activities and outcomes. While specific application deadlines are not provided in the supplemental, the program follows a fiscal year structure and is expected to recur annually based on funding cycles.

Ensure detailed and clear responses to all rating questions with strong alignment to program goals and evaluation criteria; demonstrate collaboration and feasibility of implementation