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Authorize submission of an application to the United States Department of Justice in the amount of $402,192 to provide evidence based case management services for women re-entering the Solano community from the Solano County jail, State or Federal prison for the period of October 1, 2012, through September 30, 2013
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Published Notice Required? Yes ____ No __X_
Public Hearing Required? Yes ____ No __X_
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Health and Social Services (H&SS) recommends that the Board authorize on the submission of a renewal application to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ) in the amount of $402,192 to provide evidence based case management services for women re-entering the Solano community from the Solano County jail, State or Federal prison for the period of October 1, 2012, through September 30, 2013.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
On April 6, 2010, the Board approved an application to the DOJ to receive funding from the Second Chance Act; the County was awarded a two year grant in the annual amount of $358,355 with a possible extension to a third year. The grant funds were used to establish the Women's Reentry Achievement Program (WRAP), a national demonstration project that tests the effectiveness of evidence based, gender focused and trauma responsive practices for eligible women. H&SS proposes to submit an application for grant funds in the amount of $402,192 to continue the same program for a third year.
The Board spearheaded the local effort to implement H&SS support for re-entry services by appropriating $150,000 in County General Fund (CGF) for Mission Solano and the faith based community to coordinate re-entry services for non-violent offenders in FY2012/11. This bold step toward re-entry innovation, together with the strong re-entry partnerships in Solano County, gave Solano the competitive edge to win funding for the current demonstration project, as one of only two California counties awarded. Since then, 106 women received services including substance abuse treatment, housing, mental health services, primary care, education, vocational training, and job placement services in the Solano County jail, State and Federal prisons, and in the Solano community up to six months after release. The program was welcomed and supported by the Sheriff, District Attorney's Office of Family Violence Prevention, the Public Defender, the Probation Department, the Solano Re-entry Council, and three judges. The program currently has recidivism rate of 8.8 percent for these high risk and medium high risk clients compared to a 46 percent recidivism rate for all paroled women state-wide. Some clients are already working, yielding a current Social Return on Investment of 51 percent. Solano's program received state-wide attention through the California Reentry Council Network and the Council of State Governments Justice Center. With this track record, Solano enters into the current grant competition with a good chance to win a third year of funding.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The grant requires a dollar for dollar cash or in-kind match. The grant application includes a cash match of $ 200,000 comprised of the following: $150,000 in County General Fund for the Mission Solano contract to provide re-entry services, which has been supported by your Board in the past, and is included in the H&SS FY2012/13 Requested Budget; and $50,000 in cash contributions to Mission Solano for shelter beds. The in-kind match of $202,192 is comprised of existing County staff and community support as follows: $28,471 from the District Attorney's Office of Family Violence (0.5 FTE Social Worker II); $40,455 from the Public Defender's Office (0.5 FTE Public Defender II); $27,221 in volunteer hours from various community based organizations; and, the balance of $106,045 from Health and Social Services (staff support for the reentry program and indirect costs).
The Federal grant will pay for 3.5 FTE case managers and treatment services.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to authorize the submission of this grant application. This is not recommended as this is an opportunity to further develop the Board's comprehensive crime prevention, intervention and re-entry system, support implementation of AB 109 and to create a stable and lasting program for parolees who re-enter the Solano community.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
H&SS and its partners worked with the Solano Reentry Council, the Probation Department, Superior Court, Sheriff, Solano County Office of Education, and the Workforce Investment Board to develop the project framework, budget, Logic of Change model and a Strategic Plan and they will participate in the grant application. These agencies are also member of the Solano Re-Entry Council and are committed to implementing the Second Chance Act services if funded.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION