Subject:
Title
Award acceptance through grant agreement with the Florida Department of Children and Families for the Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Reinvestment Grant.
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approve the grant agreement with the Florida Department of Children and Families for the Criminal Justice Mental Health and Substance Abuse (CJMHSA) Reinvestment Grant award that will fund the expansion of the Office of the Public Defender’s Jail Diversion Program.
It is further recommended that the Board delegate authority to the County Administrator to approve the contracts with service providers, Westcare Gulfcoast-Florida Inc., and Vincent House of Van Gough’s Pallette Inc., for services related to the grant scope of services not to exceed $1,020,000.00 over the three (3) year grant period.
Chairman to execute two (2) original copies of the grant agreement.
Body
Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety and Welfare
2.2 Be a facilitator, convener, and purchaser of services for those in need
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.1 Maximize partner relationships and public outreach
5.3 Ensure effective and efficient delivery of county services and support
Summary:
The CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant will fund the expansion of the Public Defender’s Jail Diversion Program that will offer a structured shelter/treatment program to 100 unduplicated individuals annually for three years. The program focuses on adults who have a substance use disorder as well as a co-occurring mental health condition, and have been charged with a crime. The primary goal is to divert high-risk individuals (high systems users) from arrest, prosecution, or incarceration to treatment and support services.
Anticipated outcomes include a decrease in recidivism, relapse, and risk factors/behaviors; and increases/improvements in employment, housing stability, self-sufficiency, overall health, and social connectedness. The expansion is needed because the Office of the Public Defender reports that the number of eligible individuals (chronic inebriates with co-occurring behavioral health disorders) outnumbers the capacity of its current Jail Diversion program.
Background Information:
Established in 2004, the Public Defender’s Jail Diversion Program has served 5,480 clients through 2015 with a decrease in arrest percentage of 93%. The County’s current Fiscal Year 2017 (FY17) funding has appropriated $794,480.00 to the Public Defender for Jail Diversion, Minor Chronic Inebriate and Incompetent to Proceed Programs. The CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant will provide additional funding to serve more clients. The Public Defender was previously awarded a three (3) year CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant that ended in February 2014.
The CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant Program was created in 2007 by the Florida Legislature in s.394.656, F.S., and is housed within the Department of Children and Families. The purpose of the CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant is for counties to plan, implement, or expand initiatives that increase public safety and avert increased spending on criminal and juvenile justice systems. Funding also goes toward programs that improve the accessibility and effectiveness of treatment services for adults and juveniles who have a mental illness, substance abuse disorder, or co-occurring mental health and substance abuse disorders, who are in, or at risk of entering, the criminal or juvenile justice systems.
The CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant requires the oversite of a Planning Committee designated by the Board of County Commissioners (Board). The Public Safety Coordinating Council (PSCC) was designated as the Planning Council to by the Board on October 16, 2007 under Agenda Item #18. For the current award, the PSCC released a competitive bid for grant proposals which was posted online, announced in publicly held Council meetings, and emailed to community partners. Two solicitations were received. On August 8, 2016, the PSCC selected the program “A Turning Point: Expansion of the Office of the Public Defender’s Pinellas County Jail Diversion Program” for recommendation to the Board. The program is a partnership between the Public Defender’s Office and WestCare GulfCoast-Florida, Inc. The Board approved the recommendation on September 14, 2016 under Agenda Item #27.
Fiscal Impact:
The CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant award is for $1,200,000.00. Allocation of the award is $400,000.00 per year for three (3) years. Local matching funds are required equal to the total amount of the grant. The Public Defender will provide a cash match within their existing budget appropriation as follows: five percent (5%) in the first program year, ten percent (10%) in the second program year and fifteen percent (15%) in the third program year. WestCare GulfCoast- Florida, Inc. will complete the balance of the match from in-kind resources.
Staff Member Responsible:
Lourdes Benedict, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Florida Department of Children & Families
Public Safety Coordinating Council
Public Defender, Sixth Judicial Circuit
WestCare GulfCoast-Florida, Inc.
Vincent House of Van Gough’s Palette, Inc.
Attachments:
CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant Agreement
Office of Civil Rights Compliance Form
Scrutinized Companies Certification
Employment Screening Affidavit
Notice of Award
Grant Application
Intent to Apply
Logic Model CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant