Subject:
Title
Agreement with the Sixth Judicial Circuit for the Drug Court Expansion Program.
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval of the agreement with the Sixth Judicial Circuit (Court) for the Division Z Drug Court Expansion Program.
• This agreement facilitates the transfer of Legislative funds from the Court to the County for the Division Z Drug Court Expansion Program.
• The County is a partner to and fiscal agent for the Court for purposes of this agreement.
• The County agrees to contract with treatment service providers for licensed substance abuse treatment and ancillary services to those eligible to participate in the Division Z Drug Court Expansion Program.
• The amount of the Agreement is $454,328.00 per year, including a reimbursement of $29,928.00 to the County to offset administrative costs.
• Funding to support this agreement was anticipated and is included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2024 Adopted Budget and the FY25 Proposed Budget in the General Fund in the portion of the Human Services Budget.
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Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety and Welfare
2.2. Be a facilitator of services for those in need
Summary:
Summary
This Agreement establishes the provisions and funding for the Division Z Drug Court Expansion Program. The term is for three (3) years beginning July 30, 2024, and ending July 30, 2027. The program budget is presented annually by the Court and approved by the State. The County agrees to contract with service providers to deliver substance abuse treatment and ancillary services to nonviolent, adult offenders who are deemed eligible and who are amenable to treatment. Service funding agreements shall be in accordance with State-approved deliverables and shall be in the amounts set forth in the Treatment Services Budget approved annually by the State. The Court agrees to pay for contracted services according to the terms and conditions specified in Attachment A, subject to the availability of funds.
Body
Background Information:
The Division Z program was established in 2010 as a pilot program with Federal grant funding derived from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. The grant ended in 2012, and the Florida Legislature began appropriating funding for the continuation of the program.
Eligible offenders are offered a voluntary 18 to 24-month court-supervised comprehensive treatment program involving regular court appearances before a Drug Court Judge. Participants are selected by the Sixth Judicial Circuit and must meet certain criteria, i.e., being amenable to treatment and having an underlying nonviolent offense.
Since its inception, 283 participants have graduated from the program. In the State FY23-24 (7/1/23 to 6/30/24), the program served 62 total participants with 40 new enrollees and 7 graduates. The recidivism rates were 10% at 12 months, and 8% at 24 months. The overall retention rate for the program is 68 percent.
Fiscal Impact:
The amount of the Agreement is $454,328.00 per year, including a reimbursement of $29,928.00 to the County to offset administrative costs. All expenses incurred under the Agreement are fully reimbursable by state funding. Funding to support this agreement was anticipated and is included in the FY24 Adopted Budget. This item is consistent with the development of the FY24 estimate and FY25 Proposed budget.
Staff Member Responsible:
Karen Yatchum, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Sixth Judicial Circuit Court
Curaparr Corporation d/b/a Center for Rational Living
Wayne A. Grosnick & Associates d/b/a Solutions Behavioral Healthcare Consultants
WestCare Gulfcoast-Florida, Inc.
Attachments:
Agreement with the Sixth Judicial Circuit for Drug Court Expansion Program