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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 08072001 - C.124 j�g ,TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 014V — - _ • Contra FROM: JOHN SWEETEN, County Administrator s Costa DATE: AUGUST 7, 2001 �~� \, STq COIJ- County SUBJECT: RESPONSE TO GRAND JURY REPORT NO. 0102 ENTITLED "DISPOSITION OF DISCOVERY HOUSE" i SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: ADOPT report as the Board of Supervisors' response to Grand Jury Report No. 0102 entitled, "Disposition of Discovery House". BACKGROUND: I The 2000-2001 Grand Jury filed the above-referenced report on May 29, 2001, which was reviewed by the Board of Supervisors on June 5 and subsequently referred to the County Administrator and the Health Services Director, who prepared the attached response that clearly specifies: j A. Whether the finding or recommendation is accepted or will be implemented; B. If a recommendation is accepted, a statement as to who will be responsible for implementation and a definite target date; C. A delineation of the constraints if a recommendation is accepted but cannot be implemented within a six-month period; and D. The reason for not accepting or adopting a finding or recommendation. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE. RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMEN ION OF BOARD COMMITTEE — APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S): ACTION OF BOARD August 1, 2001 APPROVE AS RECOMMENDED XXX OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN XX UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ----- ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE AYES: NOES: SHOWN. ABSENT: ABSTAIN: ATTESTED CONTACT: JULIE ENEA(925)335-1077 JOH SWEET N,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR CC: PRESIDING JUDGE OF THE SUPERIOR COURT COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR HEALTH SERVICES DIRECTOR PUBLIC WORKS DIRECTOR BY EPUTY I Disposition of Discovery House August 7, 2001 County Response to Grand Jury Report No. 0102 Page 1 RESPONSE TO THE CONTRA COSTA GRAND JURY REPORT NO. 0102 DISPOSITION OF DISCOVERY HOUSE - N G - S 1. Discovery House is the only county-owned residential treatment facility for substance abuse in Contra Costa County. There are 11 additional, privately owned, residential treatment facilities under contract with the County. Response: Agree. 2. Clients who are refused admission by contract facilities, because they are ill or difficult to handle, can be treated at Discovery House. Response: Agree. 3. Discovery House has a record of clients who have successfully completed the substance abuse program. These positive results are recognized by Contra Costa County Substance Abuse Services and the support staff of Richmond Drug Court. Response: Agree. 4. The Contra Costa County Department of Public Works has determined that it can only purchase the minimum properties necessary to realign Pacheco Blvd. Therefore, The current plan is to purchase a portion of the northern side of the residential lot east of Discovery House for right of way use. Response: Agree. 5. As planned, the Pacheco Blvd. realignment will deprive Discovery House of all the areas needed and used for outdoor recreation, gardening and storage of food supplies and equipment. Further, the only structure for group therapy meetings and dining will be demolished and lost for use. Response: Agree. Unfortunately, the outdoor area is not Discovery House property, but County right-of-way property, which must be used to accommodate the realignment of Pacheco Blvd. Discovery House has used the outdoor area with the County's permission for over twenty years. 6. Contra Costa County, through the Department of Public Works, is willing to purchase the entire lot east of Discovery House rather than a portion of it, if it can reach an agreement with the Health Services Department to allow a method of financing over a period of time. Response: Agree. 7. Until recently, there has been no planned effort undertaken by the County Department of Health Services, and the Department of Public Works to maintain the Discovery House Program. Response: Partially agree. Repairs and maintenance have been conducted, but the age and condition of the building make major improvements uneconomical. The availability of the adjacent parcel provides a new opportunity to enhance the program. The realignment of Pacheco Blvd. is not slated for implementation until 2003. The Health Services and Public Works Departments are proceeding in a manner consistent with the timeline of the realignment project. Disposition of Discovery House August 7, 2001 County Response to Grand Jury Report No. 0102 Page 2 Acquisition of a new Discovery House Program site is part of the larger property acquisition in connection with the realignment of Pacheco Blvd. The Public Works Department is currently preparing the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) document for acquiring the property, it is estimated to be completed by the end of August 2001. It will then advance to the Community Development Department, which could approve it by the end of September. After a required period of public review, the Board of Supervisors will consider it. Assuming no problems, the Board could certify the Mitigated Negative Declaration by early 2002. At that point, but not before, the Real Property Division of the Public Works Department could be permitted to negotiate with the property owners to purchase the adjacent parcel. This process can take up to six months. 8. Proposition 36 will provide annual funding of approximately $3.1 million to Contra Costa County, along with a mandate to treat substance abuse clients rather than confine them in jail or prison. The California Department of Corrections forecasts that 5,388 persons arrested for drug abuse in 2002, will not be incarcerated. But they will still require substance abuse treatment such as the program offered by Discovery House. Response: Agree. 9. Recent events such as the community resistance to a mental health facility being placed at a residence on Babel Lane in Concord prove it is very difficult to locate resident treatment facilities in established neighborhoods. Response: Agree. 10. According to Juvenile Court statistics, parental substance abuse is implicated in over 85% of our County Court Child Placement hearings. This statistic highlights the widespread effects of substance abuse and the corresponding need for treatment programs within the county. Response: Agree. 11. According to portions of the Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse Report, written by Joseph A. Califano,Jr., President of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University, (Jan./98): a. "Drug and alcohol abuse and addiction are implicated in the crimes and incarceration of 80% -- some 1.4 million—of the 1.7 million men and women behind bars in America." b. The cost of proven treatment for inmates accompanied by appropriate education, job training and health care, would average about $6,500 per year. For each inmate who successfully completes such treatment and becomes a taxpaying, law-abiding citizen, the annual economic benefit to society – in terms of avoided incarceration and health care costs, salary earned, taxes paid and contribution to the economy – is $68,800, a tenfold return on investment in the first year." Response: Agree. ........ . ......... ....... .... . ..:...::..:.. RECOMMENDATIONS-:- 1. EC MMENDATIONS .1. Using available Proposition 36 funding, acquire the entire residential property adjacent to and east of Discovery House, in order to provide the land needed for the realignment of Pacheco Blvd. and replace the area lost for use to Discovery i , i Disposition of Discovery House August 7, 2001 County Response to Grand Jury Report No. 0102 Page 3 , House. Response: Requires further analysis. Proposition 36 funding cannot be used for the cash purchase of land or buildings. The County is investigating the permissibility of using Proposition 36 funding to pay the debt service on land and/or building costs financed with capital improvement bonds. Such usage would assume that the leaseftnds defeasance period will equal the life of the building and thus cover the debt service. , If Proposition 36 funds are not permitted to be used to pay debt service, the relocation of the Discovery House Program would have to be evaluated by the Board of Supervisors in the context of the capital facilities master plan. 2. Acquire and install a suitable structure with appropriate sanitary facilities to accommodate a group meeting room and any additional needed space on the acquired property. Response: See response to Recommendation No. 1. 3. Study the feasibility of expanding the Discovery House program by the acquisition of additional properties in the nearby area. Response: See response to Recommendation No. 1.