PORT ANGELES — Clallam County will apply for a grant that would help provide accommodations for children and adults with sensory needs at the Clallam County Fair and other festivities.
The Board of County Commissioners heard about the $100,000, no-match grant during their work session Tuesday morning.
“In a nutshell, what this does is allow us to build upon the success of Project SAFER,” Parks Director Don Crawford said. “This allows us to increase that service at the fair to include the sensory accommodation for folks with autism, ADHD, PTSD and other concerns by allowing us to have the training and the resources to pull them out of the fairgrounds in places where there are bright lights and loud sounds and have them have a place to reset. It would help give their caregivers and families a safe space.”
The grant would provide funding to implement the program as well as provide training for people in the county.
Crawford said the grant would fund a mobile sensory unit that could be checked out in the same way people check out tables from the county.
“Essentially, this grant is to do it for the fair, set the system right and then be able to duplicate it within our county,” he said. “It would be a kit that would have an awning with sides to create a mobile space where those who need accommodation can go. It would give them the different activities that they can do to help reset.”
The commissioners also heard about a few other grants during the work session.
One is with the state Department of Ecology to support the Clallam County Sheriff’s Office jail CREW’s function of removing litter and illegally dumped materials from public lands. That grant is for $70,041.
This will be the fifth time the county renews the grant, commissioners were told. The total amount is a little less than last year’s because there are fewer crew members. Commissioners were told that if the crew increases and the county needs more funding from the grant, it shouldn’t be a problem to request more.
Another grant is a renewal of funding awarded by the state to counties to support emergency dispatch centers.
The county will pass that grant through to Peninsula Communications, which is run by the city of Port Angeles.
The grant is for $20,000 more this year, and it will be used toward training.
PenCom has 12 full-time employees plus four in training. There are four open positions.
Finally, commissioners heard about the renewal of grant funding awarded by the Washington Association of Sheriff’s and Police Chiefs.
“This funding is in support of field response services matching those with mental health issues with appropriate treatment or service options, as well as follow up with those individuals to overcome treatment barriers and promote continued treatment plans,” according to the agenda memo. “This early identification and intervention should prevent deterioration of condition into a crisis state requiring law enforcement action.”
This is a two-year grant, which will be used to subcontract with Olympic Peninsula Community Clinic, commissioners were told. The grant is for $1.6 million.
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Reporter Emily Hanson can be reached at emily.hanson@peninsuladailynews.com.
