Subject:
Title
Annual Employment Screening Affidavit for the grant agreement with the Florida Department of Children and Families for the Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grants.label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and execution by the Director of Administrative Services of the of the annual Employment Screening Affidavit that is required by the Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF) for two (2) Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grants (CJMHSA).
• The CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant funds implementation or expansion projects that increase public safety and avert increased spending on criminal and juvenile justice systems.
• The County’s project, entitled “Complex Case Reintegration Program” (CCRP), serves justice-involved adults with serious mental illness or co-occurring substance abuse disorders with an emphasis on serving individuals with histories of opioid use.
• The award for the CCRP project provides $400,000.00 per year over three years for a total award of $1,200,000.00. A 100% in-kind match is provided by the Pinellas Ex-Offender Reentry Coalition (PERC), WestCare GulfCoast-Florida, Inc. (WestCare) and the County.
• The County’s project, entitled “Road to Success” (RTS), serves dual dependency and justice-involved juveniles with serious mental illness or co-occurring substance abuse disorders.
• The award for the RTS project provides $400,000.00 per year over three years plus a three (3) month extension for a total award of $1,200,000.00. A 100% in-kind match is provided by the Public Defender and Ready for Life, Inc.
• There is no fiscal impact by or through this item.
Body
Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
2.2 Be a facilitator, convener, and purchaser of services for those in need
2.4 Support programs that seek to prevent and remedy the causes of homelessness and move individuals and families from homelessness to permanent housing
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resources
Summary:
The 2021 CJMHSA Grant awarded to Pinellas County funds the CCRP project that serves justice-involved adults with serious mental illness or co-occurring substance abuse disorders with an emphasis on serving individuals with histories of opioid use and the 2019 CJMHSA Grant awarded to Pinellas County funds the RTS project, which serves dual dependency and justice-involved juveniles with serious mental illness or co-occurring substance abuse disorders.
DCF requires that an Annual Employment Screening Affidavit be submitted once prior to contract execution and annually, thereafter. The affidavit asserts that all employees operating under the CJMHSA Grants have been screened in accordance with Florida Statutes Chapter 435.
PERC, WestCare, Public Defender 6th Judicial Circuit and Ready for Life provide client services under these grants and have also completed Employment Screening Affidavits attesting that all CJMHSA Grant employees have been screened in accordance with the requirements set forth in the grants.
Background/Explanation:
DCF’s CJMHSA Grant provides funding to counties for initiatives that improve public safety, avert increased justice system spending, and improve accessibility and efficacy of treatment services for people in or at-risk of entering the justice system who have mental illness, substance use disorders, or co-occurring disorders.
The primary goal of the CCRP program is to increase public safety; avert increased justice system spending; and increase access to effective, evidence-based community treatment services and resources for adults with serious mental illness (SMI) or co-occurring substance use disorders (SUD), who are involved in or at risk of becoming involved in the justice system. Funding for CCRP through the CJMHSA Grant began on March 1, 2022 and will conclude on February 28, 2025.
The Board of County Commissioners approved the CCRP grant agreement with DCF and the funding agreements with PERC and WestCare on May 24, 2022.
The primary goal of the RTS program is to divert both low and high-risk youth from arrest, prosecution, or incarceration into diversion, treatment, and community-based support services. Funding for RTS through the CJMHSA Grant began on July 1, 2020 and will conclude on September 30, 2023.
The Board of County Commissioners approved the RTS grant agreement with DCF, the interlocal with the Public Defender, and the Memorandum of Understanding with Ready for Life on June 23, 2020
The Employment Screening Affidavit is required for compliance with Florida Statutes Chapter 435.
On September 13, 2022, the Employment Screening Affidavit for Fiscal Year 2022 was submitted. The affidavit for Fiscal Year 2023 is required to remain in compliance.
Fiscal Impact:
No fiscal impact to funding by or through this item.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the Director of Administrative Services to sign this document is granted under Code Section 2-62 (a)(1) and the County Administrator Memorandum dated December 2, 2019.
Staff Member Responsible:
Karen Yatchum, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Florida Department of Children and Families
Pinellas Ex-Offender Reentry Coalition (PERC)
WestCare GulfCoast-Florida, Inc.
Public Defender, Sixth Judicial Circuit
Ready for Life, Inc.
Attachments:
County Annual Employment Screening Affidavit 2023