Subject:
Title
Second Amendment to the Interlocal Agreement with the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida for the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Grant Program
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and execution by the County Administrator of the Second Amendment to the Interlocal Agreement with the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court of Florida for the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration (MHC) Grant Program, reallocating unused federal funds from Years 2 and 3 to align with the Year 4 no-cost extension approved by the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA).
● This Second Amendment corrects a scrivener’s error to the accurate federal grant award amount.
● The County Administrator previously approved the original Interlocal Agreement under Legistar File 22-0398D, executed on July 27, 2022, establishing the MHC through the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Grant Program. The first amendment to the Interlocal Agreement was approved under Legistar File 25-0300D and executed on June 17, 2025, extended the term through September 30, 2025.
● Funding for the Court’s allocation of $208,386.00 is supported through lapse funds identified in the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court’s FY25 budget. The amendment is corrective in nature. Grant services ended on September 30, 2025, and this action does not authorize new spending beyond the total approved grant award. The updated compensation, from $119,578.00 to $208,386.00, corrects a scrivener's error.
Body
Strategic Priorities:
Healthy and Safe Communities
2.1 Improve public health.
2.2 Enhance community safety.
Smart Service Delivery
4.4 Pursue continuous improvement.
Summary:
This Second Amendment to the Interlocal Agreement retroactively reallocates unused federal funds from Years 2 and 3 to align with the Year 4 no-cost extension approved by the BJA for the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Grant Program and corrects a scrivener’s error in the First Amendment by incorporating the previously approved budget modification.
The Mental Health Court (MHC) provides an alternative to incarceration for individuals with serious mental health disorders, connecting them with community-based treatment and support services.
Background/Explanation:
The Mental Health Court (MHC) was established through an Interlocal Agreement between Pinellas County and the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court under the Bureau of Justice Assistance (BJA)-funded Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program award. The program operates as a pretrial intervention that diverts individuals with serious mental illness from the criminal justice system into coordinated treatment and support services, improving outcomes for participants while reducing strain on the jail and court systems.
The original Interlocal Agreement was executed on July 27, 2022, under Legistar File 22-0398D, formally establishing the MHC. A First Amendment, executed on June 17, 2025, under Legistar File 25-0300D, extended the agreement term through September 30, 2025, to align with a BJA-approved no-cost extension of the grant and was intended to incorporate the related budget modification reallocating unused federal funds to the Court component; however, that budget revision was inadvertently omitted due to a scrivener’s error.
The BJA-approved reallocation of unused federal funds from Years 2 and 3 to the Court component is incorporated retroactively to June 17, 2025, the effective date of the First Amendment and start of the no-cost extension period. The Court’s approved budget is updated from $119,578.00 to $208,386.00, an increase of $88,808.00, and Appendix B is modified solely with respect to the Court’s allocation to reflect the revised funding. This correction aligns the Interlocal Agreement with the approved grant budget and supports operation of the MHC program for the benefit of Pinellas County residents.
Fiscal Impact:
Funding for the Court’s allocation of $208,386.00 is supported through lapse funds identified in the Sixth Judicial Circuit Court’s FY25 budget.
The amendment is corrective in nature. Grant services ended on September 30, 2025, and this action does not authorize new spending beyond the total approved grant award. The updated compensation, from $119,578.00 to $208,386.00, corrects a scrivener's error.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the County Administrator to sign this Amendment is granted under Code Section 2-62 (a)(1).
Staff Member Responsible:
Karen Yatchum, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Sixth Judicial Circuit Court
State Attorney’s Office
Public Defender’s Office
Directions for Living
Suncoast Center
Attachments:
Amendment