DATE: August 24, 2021
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Dawan Utecht, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT: Amendment to Agreement with Superior Court
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute Amendment I to Agreement No. 18-328 with Superior Court of California, County of Fresno for coordination services to additional specialty treatment courts, with no change to term of July 1, 2018 through June 30, 2023, or compensation maximum of $752,225.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will modify the agreement to allow the Department of Behavioral Health Director to add and/or remove specialty treatment courts, as needed, to provide coordination of the support, services and treatment needs of persons served. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board could choose to not approve the recommended amendment and the agreement with Superior Court would remain unchanged; however, effective coordinator services would not be available to justice involved individuals in need of treatment in other specialty treatment courts.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The maximum annual cost of $150,445 includes $70,000 for specialty treatment court coordinator services funded with Mental Health Services Act - Community Services Support (MHSA-CSS) funds, and $80,445 for staff support and incentives funded with Behavioral Health Realignment for Drug Court services. The total maximum cost for the term ($752,225) will be unchanged. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenue are included in the Department’s Org 5630 FY 2021-22 Recommended Budget and future budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
On June 12, 2018, the Board approved Agreement No. 18-328 with Superior Court of California, County of Fresno to provide court coordinator services for Juvenile/Family Behavioral Health Courts (FBHC), Adult Behavioral Health Court (BHC), Adult Drug Court (ADC), Family Dependency Treatment Court (FDTC), and staff support and incentives for the ADC. Under the agreement, court coordinator services include increasing service access, building capacity and removing barriers for those in the justice system that need substance use disorder and/or mental health treatment and supportive services.
The recommended amendment will add services to three specialty treatment courts:
• Friday Court provides support, resources and tools to youth who are identified as either exploited or at risk of exploitation of human trafficking, involved in either the dependency or delinquency systems.
• Mental Health Diversion Court provides treatment when a person suffers from a mental disorder included in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, the symptoms of which can respond to treatment, if the mental disorder played a significant part in the commission of the charged offense.
• Veterans Treatment Court provides mentorship and treatment services through the Veterans Affairs Office and supervision through the Probation Department to veterans whose suffer from sexual trauma, traumatic brain injury, post-traumatic stress disorder, substance use, or other mental health condition stemming from military service that resulted in the commission of the current offense.
If approved, the recommended amendment will allow the Department Director, or designee, to make additions and/or deletions to the list of specialty treatment courts receiving court coordinator services. The recommended amendment also updates the insurance clause to include additional insured and waiver of subrogation language, present in all County agreements.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The Behavioral Health Board was made aware of the recommended amendment at their May 2021 meeting.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI # 35, June 12, 2018
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Amendment to Agreement No. 18-328 with Superior Court
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa