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Accept the Proposition 47 Grant Award administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) for a maximum grant amount of $6,000,000 over a three-year period to provide mental health, substance use disorder treatment, and diversion programs for individuals in the criminal justice system; Approve an Appropriation Transfer Request (ATR) for $2,405,742 for FY2017/18 in unanticipated revenue (4/5 vote required); and Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute contracts for Proposition 47 to include assistance with program implementation, and services with community based organizations for services to include outcome evaluation, legal advocacy, housing-related services, and community engagement
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Published Notice Required? Yes ___ No _X _
Public Hearing Required? Yes ___ No _X _
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Health & Social Services (H&SS) recommends the Board:
1. Accept the Proposition 47 Grant Award administered by the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) for a maximum grant amount of $6,000,000 over a three-year period to provide mental health, substance use disorder treatment, and diversion programs for individuals in the criminal justice system.
2. Approve an Appropriations Transfer Request (ATR) for $2,405,742 for FY2017/18 in unanticipated revenue (4/5 vote required).
3. Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute contracts for Proposition 47 services to include assistance with program implementation, and with community based organizations for services to include outcome evaluation, legal advocacy, housing-related services, substance use treatment, and community engagement.
SUMMARY:
In November 2014, California voters approved Proposition 47, the Reduced Penalties for Some Crimes Initiative, which changed State statute to reduce the classification of most “non-serious and non-violent property and drug crimes” from a felony to a misdemeanor and permitted resentencing for those currently in prison for qualifying offenses. As the prison and jail populations decreased, cost savings were intended to be invested in prevention and support programs in schools, services for victims, and mental health and drug treatment. Funds are distributed 25% to Department of Education, 10% to the Victim Compensation and Government Claims Board, and 65% to the Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC). This grant represents the first opportunity for distribution of these funds to public agencies.
On June 8, 2017, the BSCC officially announced approval of the Proposition 47 Grant Award to Solano County. The Health and Social Services Department (H&SS), Sheriff’s Department, and Probation Department plan to leverage existing programs supporting target populations while expanding partnerships and services available with the intended goal of reducing recidivism in the criminal justice system. This approach is multidisciplinary, partnering with the criminal justice system, community based organizations (CBOs), the faith based community, formerly incarcerated/system impacted individuals, and city and County service providers to offer a continuous system of care. Services will be evidenced-based and program elements will reflect best practices. The grant application and award included funding for a Project Manager to serve as the Proposition 47 Coordinator with overall responsibilities for program implementation, coordination with partners, data collection and ensuring fidelity to evidenced based practices and the principles set forth in the grant proposal; however, at this time H&SS will assign program lead responsibilities within the Department and collaborate with the Sheriff and Probations departments to accomplish this work. Additional program support may be provided in the future through consultant services and/or extra help staff, funded through the grant award.
As part of Proposition 47’s guiding principles to: demonstrate capacity building for service providers at every level, encourage community engagement, and identify and address known barriers to serving target populations, and in an effort to expedite program launch, the Department recommends the Board delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute contracts for Proposition 47 consulting services, and supportive services with community based organizations as mentioned in the grant application and agreements for step-down levels of care and associated wrap around services that will go out for public bid.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no requirement for local matching funds for implementation of this grant. There is no financial impact to the County General Fund to adopt this resolution.
Funds for service delivery and system development will be available through a competitive procurement process, with the majority of the funds to be awarded to one or more community based organizations. Funding will be allocated across categories for case management services, creation of additional detox/residential treatment beds, use of residential treatment beds, as well as a continuum of transitional housing and sober living environments.
DISCUSSION:
On February 7, 2017, the Board approved the application submission of the Proposition 47 Grant Program. The grant purpose is to provide mental health services, substance use disorder treatment and diversion programs in the criminal justice system and may also provide housing-related assistance and other community-based supportive services, including case management, legal advocacy, and augmentation of other existing programs that serve adults. With the official award acceptance, H&SS’s Proposition 47 Project Title: Expanding Service Continuum for Drug Treatment and Continued Supports intends to deepen the capacity to provide residential drug treatment and comprehensive services throughout the continuum of recovery. The grant funds will support expansion of services that would serve two priority target populations: 1) individuals with substance use problems who are being released from jail, and 2) the homeless who have substance use issues and some demonstrated history of criminal justice involvement.
One of the significant barriers to serving these target populations is the severe lack of step-down-levels of care (SDLC). Proposition 47 funds allows for additional residential treatment beds, transitional housing with wraparound services, sober living homes associated with outpatient treatment/recovery programs in the County’s major cities of Fairfield, Vacaville, and Vallejo. This grant would create additional detox and residential treatment beds that are currently only available to a small number of individuals due to existing substance use funding that is not sufficient to meet the treatment needs. This is a substantial gap in service delivery; many times individuals remain incarcerated while waiting for a residential treatment bed.
Proposition 47 in the first year will be directed to the start-up of these treatment facilities to include Detox/Residential Care. Transitional housing and sober living environments (SLEs) will help promote successful substance use treatment outcomes and assist individuals in sustaining integration into their communities, as they eventually transition to independent living situations. The final number of beds created will depend upon the physical plant contributions of city and faith based partners.
To address barriers to employment and housing discrimination, the Proposition 47 program will also provide legal services through criminal record remedies and advocacy for housing and employment rights. As one of Proposition 47’s guiding principles is promoting community engagement, grant funds will be able to relaunch a Faith Reintegration Network to establish relationships with the faith community who are trained in cognitive-behavioral strategies, Trauma Informed Care, restorative justice principles, and gender responsivity. This project will also partner with city governments and local faith communities that have distinct initiatives that could be pulled together into a framework within this project.
As part of the project evaluation, different methodologies will be used to include process and outcome components, re-arrest data for program participants, and social network analysis. A detailed evaluation plan, design data collection, and evaluation activities will be developed. Outcomes include: strengthen the system of care such as reduced wait time to residential treatment and increase enrollment in outpatient care; reduce recidivism by a decrease in re-arrest rates; increase Income and housing stability to include a percentage of participants having a stable income at program completion; and increase positive social support by a decrease in negative behaviors such as substance abuse. The project leads will have responsibilities of implementing a continuous improvement process and assist with data collection and evaluation.
The Local Advisory Committee, established in November 2016, began a comprehensive stakeholder engagement process and has obtained input from stakeholders across the service spectrum: social services, criminal justice, education, city government, etc. This process has engaged various agencies that have resources that can be leveraged to support the intended outcomes. An ongoing steering committee will be either connected to the steering committee of an existing grant serving a similar population: the Sheriff Department’s Mentally Ill Offender Crime Reduction Grant, or formed as a separate steering committee depending on the recommendations of the primary County involved departments.
The County has a long history of investing in reducing disparities through targeted efforts toward underserved populations. This project will reduce recidivism by helping vulnerable individuals in their recovery, access and engage in treatment and diversion programs, stabilize housing, and operate with restorative justice principles to re-integrate back into their communities.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to accept the Proposition 47 grant award. This is not recommended because this is an opportunity to use funds in order to leverage existing supportive programs to services with the intended goal of reducing recidivism in the criminal justice system.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
A Local Advisory Council in place since early November 2016 includes many collaborative partners: City Housing Departments representing Vallejo, Vacaville and Fairfield; Solano County Sheriff Department; Solano County Probation Department; Solano County Courts; community based organizations already working with the target populations; H&SS housing coordinators; and representatives of the faith communities.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION