Subject:
Title
Annual Employment Screening Affidavit for the Department of Children and Families’ Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grants.
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and execution by the County Administrator of the annual Employment Screening Affidavit required by the Department of Children and Families (DCF) for the Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grants (CJMHSA Grants).
• The CJMHSA Grant funds “Road to Success” (RTS), an expansion of the Public Defender’s crossover youth program serving youth with dual contact in the juvenile justice and dependency systems and the “Complex Case Reintegration Program” (CCRP) serving justice-involved adults with serious mental illness or co-occurring substance abuse disorders.
• DCF requires that a background Employment Screening Affidavit is executed by the County annually under the terms of the agreement.
• RTS is a three-year project beginning 7/1/2020 and ending 6/30/2023.
• CCRP is a three-year project beginning 3/1/2022 and ending 02/28/2025.
• The CJMHSA Grant for RTS provides $1,200,000.00 over a 36-month period and requires 100% in-kind match, which is provided by the Public Defender and Ready for Life, Inc.
• The CJMHSA Grant for CCRP provides $1,200,000.00 over a 36-month period and requires 100% in-kind match, which is provided by the Pinellas Ex-Offender Reentry Coalition (PERC), WestCare GulfCoast-Florida, Inc. (WestCare) and the County.
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 affidavit asserts that all employees operating under the CJMHSA Grants have been screened in accordance with Florida Statutes Chapter 435. The Public Defender, Ready for Life, PERC and WestCare 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 2019 CJMHSA Grant awarded to Pinellas County funds RTS, an expansion of the Public Defender’s crossover youth program, which serves juveniles with dual contact with the juvenile justice and dependency systems. The primary goal of the program is to divert these youth from arrest, prosecution, or residential commitment and into treatment and support services. Funding for RTS through the CJMHSA Grant began on July 1, 2020 and will conclude on June 30, 2023.
The Board of County Commissioners approved the grant agreement with DCF, the interlocal with the Public Defender, and the Memorandum of Understanding with Ready for Life on June 23, 2020.
The 2019 CJMHSA Grant awarded to Pinellas County funds “Complex Case Reintegration Program” (CCRP), which 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 primary goal of the program is to divert these adults from arrest, prosecution, or incarceration and into treatment and support services. 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 grant agreement with DCF, the funding agreements with PERC and WestCare on May 24, 2022.
Fiscal Impact:
No fiscal impact to funding by or through this item.
Funding in an amount not to exceed $1,200,000.00 over 36 months is provided by Grant # LHZ91 and is included in the applicable budgets. Grant includes 100% match composed of in-kind match from the Sixth Judicial Circuit Public Defender and Ready for Life, Inc.
Funding in an amount not to exceed $1,200,000.00 over 36 months is provided by Grant # LH834 and is included in the applicable budgets. Grant includes 100% match composed of in-kind match of $1,140,000.00 provided by PERC and WestCare and up to $60,000.00 in-kind match provided by the County through existing services and staff time.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the County Administrator to sign this Affidavit is granted under Code Section 2-62 (a)(1).
Staff Member Responsible:
Karen Yatchum, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Public Defender, Sixth Judicial Circuit
Ready for Life, Inc.
Pinellas Ex-Offender Reentry Coalition (PERC)
WestCare GulfCoast-Florida, Inc.
Florida Department of Children and Families
Attachments:
County Employment Screening Affidavit
Public Defender Employment Screening Affidavit
Ready for Life Employment Screening Affidavit
Pinellas Ex-Offender Reentry Coalition (PERC) Employment Screening Affidavit
WestCare GulfCoast-Florida, Inc. Employment Screening Affidavit
DCF Agreement - 2019 CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant LHZ91
DCF Agreement - 2019 CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant LH834