DATE: August 19, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Antoinette Taillac, Public Defender
SUBJECT: Retroactive California Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment Court Grant Application and Agreement
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Retroactively approve and authorize the Public Defender's previous submittal of a grant application to the State Bar of California, establishment of CARE Court funding, for the period July 1, 2024, through January 1, 2026 ($320,498); and
2. Retroactively ratify the Public Defender's execution of the retroactive Grant Award Agreement for funding of the CARE court, for the period July 1, 2024, through January 1, 2026 ($320,498)
REPORT
There is no additional increase in Net County Cost (NCC) associated with the recommended actions, which will allow for the retroactive submission of the retroactive grant application / agreement with the State Bar of California for the Fiscal Year 2025- 2026 CARE Court Grant Program (CARE). The recommended agreement provides State revenue grant funds to the County designed to assist people with untreated severe mental illness who are at risk of deteriorating further without intervention in Fresno County. The CARE court application was submitted to meet the State's deadline, contingent on your Board's approval. The second recommended action requests your Board ratify the Public Defender's execution of the grant agreement. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If your Board does not approve the recommended actions, the Department will be required to return the CARE Court funding for FY 2024-25 out of their FY 2025-26 allocated NCC and will not be funded for FY 2025-26. The loss of this grant will result in increased caseloads for current Public Defender staff to absorb the CARE Court population as this is a mandated program.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The Department received the agreement from the State Bar on October 7, 2024. The Department is currently reviewing their internal oversi...
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