Subject:
Title
Program recommendation for the Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse Reinvestment grant submission.
label
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval of the Public Safety Coordinating Council’s program recommendations for submission to the Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse (CJMHSA) Reinvestment grant under the Florida Department of Children and Families.
• In Pinellas County, the Public Safety Coordinating Council (PSCC) was designated as the required Planning Committee by the Board of County Commissioners on October 16, 2007, to make program recommendations under CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant. The selected program requires Board approval of the recommendation prior to submission.
• A competitive solicitation was initiated, and a press release was issued, receiving four proposal responses.
• Due to critical grant timelines for approvals and grant preparation, a special PSCC public meeting was held on December 18, 2023, at 1:00PM to review and select the program for recommendation.
• The PSCC recommends the Treatment for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness Program (TIEH) as the top proposal for Submission for the CJMHSA Grant. This program is a collaboration between Boley Centers, PEMHS, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and Pinellas Human Services.
• TIEH seeks to expand case management and behavioral health resources for justice involved individuals at Safe Harbor with aligned housing navigation. The proposal addresses gaps identified as part of a 2022 Safe Harbor Working Group report outlining a goal of increasing exits to permanent supportive housing and reducing the ratio of case managers to clients, currently at 1 to 72.
• The second ranked proposal, Pinellas County Pathways, was recommended as backup proposal due to submission timelines in the event the top ranked proposal is unable to submit.
• This grant opportunity funds up to the amount of $1,200,000.00 over three years. An in-kind match equal to the award amount is required and will be identified by partners during application development. There is no cash match.
Body
Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety, and Welfare
2.1 Provide planning, coordination, prevention, and protective services to ensure a safe and secure community
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
Summary:
Summary
The CJMHSA Reinvestment grant program requires the oversight of a Planning Committee designated by the Board. In Pinellas County, the Public Safety Coordinating Council (PSCC) was designated as the Planning Committee by the Board on October 16, 2007, to make program recommendations under CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant. The program requires Board approval of the recommendation prior to submission.
With the release of a new CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant solicitation, the PSCC offers an opportunity for nonprofit organizations to apply for funding. When a local program receives funding through the Department of Children and Families (DCF), the PSCC is responsible for oversight of the program and a representative provides a report during quarterly meetings.
A competitive solicitation was held for community proposals with a press release issued by the County. Additionally, the solicitation was emailed to available provider lists and posted on the County website to maximize visibility. Four responses were received by the deadline of December 13, 2023, at 3:00 PM:
• Treatment for Individuals Experiencing Homelessness
• Pinellas County Pathways
• Empowering Youth Resiliency
• Culturally Competent Counseling
On December 18, 2023, the PSCC held a meeting to review the existing strategic plan for updates and to review proposals and select a program for recommendation. The PSCC updated their strategic plan to incorporate current service mapping efforts underway for justice involved adults and juveniles. Following the strategic plan update, the PSCC held a review with presentations and discussion of each proposal. Based on presentations and discussion, members motioned to bring two proposals forward for a vote to select the top proposal. Nine council members participated in the final voting.
Receiving five votes, the PSCC is recommending the TIEH program for Board of County Commission approval and subsequent submission under the CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant. The TIEH program is a collaboration between Boley Centers, PEMHS, Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office, and Pinellas Human Services. The program seeks to expand case management and behavioral health resources for justice involved individuals at Safe Harbor with aligned housing navigation. The proposal addresses gaps identified as part of a 2022 review and report by the Safe Harbor Working Group outlining a goal of increasing exits to permanent supportive housing and reducing the ratio of case managers to clients, currently at 1 to 72.
The PSCC recommended that the second ranked proposal which received 4 votes, Pinellas County Pathways, be designated as the backup proposal due to submission timelines in the event the top ranked proposal encounters an issue and is unable to submit.
If the recommendation is approved, Human Services will work with community partners to develop an application for review and submission by February 26, 2024.
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Background Information:
The CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant Program was created by the 2007 Florida Legislature by s.394.656, F.S., and is housed within the Department of Children and Families. The purpose of the grant funding is for counties to plan, implement, or expand initiatives that increase public safety and avert increased spending on criminal and juvenile justice systems. Funds also go toward programs that improve the accessibility and effectiveness of treatment services for adults and juveniles who have a mental illness, substance abuse disorders, or both, who are in, or at risk of entering, the criminal or juvenile justice systems.
In 2022, a working group made up of individuals from the City of Largo Homeless Advisory Team, Homeless Leadership Alliance, Pinellas Park, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office was tasked to evaluate the conditions, services, outcomes, and impacts of Pinellas Safe Harbor. The workgroup issued a report recommending strategies for improved interventions at Safe Harbor with a focus on increasing exits to permanent supportive housing. Building off of this recommendation, Human Services has collaborated with Boley Centers, PEMHS, and the Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office to design the TIEH program to expand case management and ongoing behavioral health interventions on-site with a focus on housing navigation and exiting individuals to permanent supportive housing. Under the program, Boley Centers will lead the collaboration to implement expanded services and will serve 150 homeless adults with mental health disorder, substance use disorder, or co-occurring disorder and at-risk of criminal justice involvement.
Historically, Pinellas programs have received CJMHSA Reinvestment Grant awards under previous solicitations including:
• The Pinellas County Recovery Project expanding mental health jail diversion: (early 2017 solicitation)
• Pinellas County Marchman Act Recovery Team supporting substance abuse diversion efforts from the jail: (Late 2017 solicitation)
• Road to Success Project expanding services and case management for cross-over youth in collaboration with Ready for Life (2019)
• Complex Case Reintegration Program supporting expanded service navigation and supports for high need individuals with substance use or co-occurring mental health needs. (2021)
Fiscal Impact:
If approved, Human Services will submit an intent to apply and will work with community partners to develop an application for submission by February 26, 2024. Applications can seek up to $400,000.00 per year for three years. An in-kind match equal to the award amount is required and will be identified by partners during application development. No cash match is required.
Staff Member Responsible:
Karen Yatchum, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Public Safety Coordinating Council
Florida Department of Children and Families
Boley Centers
PEMHS
Pinellas County Sheriff’s Office
Attachments:
PSCC Recommended Program Proposal for Approval TIEH Safe Harbor
PSCC Meeting Agenda with Proposal Summaries
PSCC Meeting Minutes
Press Release for Proposal Solicitation
DCF Request for Applications Solicitation
Pinellas Safe Harbor Work Group Recommendations Report 2022