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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 04172012 - C.35RECOMMENDATION(S): AUTHORIZE the County Administrator, or designee, to apply for and accept a grant from the U.S. Department of Justice, Office of Justice Programs' Bureau of Justice Assistance for a Second Chance Act Adult Offender Reentry Program for Planning and Demonstration Projects in an amount not to exceed $750,000 for the development and implementation of offender reentry services for the period October 1, 2012 through September 30, 2013, as recommended by the County Administrator. FISCAL IMPACT: Implementation grants up to $750,000 will be awarded for a period of 12 months, with the possibility of a no-cost extension to allow for a 24-month project period. As required by the Second Chance Act, a grant made under this program may not cover more than 50 percent of the total costs of the project being funded. However, the Attorney General may waive the match requirement upon a determination of fiscal hardship. Contra Costa County will submit a request for a match waiver, based upon the severe budget reductions Contra Costa County has repeatedly experienced. APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 04/17/2012 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor ABSENT:Gayle B. Uilkema, District II Supervisor Contact: Lara DeLaney, 925-335-1097 I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown. ATTESTED: April 17, 2012 David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: Carrie Del Bonta, Deputy cc: C.35 To:Board of Supervisors From:David Twa, County Administrator Date:April 17, 2012 Contra Costa County Subject:Second Chance Act Adult Offender Reentry Program Demonstration Project FY 2012 BACKGROUND: The purpose of the Second Chance Act is to provide support to enable state, local, and tribal governments to develop and implement comprehensive and collaborative strategies that address the challenges posed by prisoner reentry and to reduce recidivism. Within the context of this initiative, “reentry” is not envisioned to be a specific program, but rather a process that begins when the offender is first incarcerated and ends with the offender’s successful community reintegration, evidenced by lack of recidivism. This process should provide the offender with appropriate evidence-based services—including addressing individual criminogenic needs—based on a reentry plan that relies on a risk/needs assessment that reflects the risk of recidivism for that offender. The goal of the Second Chance Act is to provide support to eligible applicants for the development and implementation of comprehensive and collaborative strategies that address the challenges posed by reentry to increase public safety and reduce recidivism. The objectives of this program are to provide offenders with appropriate evidence-based services—including addressing individual criminogenic needs—based on a reentry plan that relies on a risk/needs assessment that reflects the risk of recidivism for that offender. Contra Cost County is applying yet again for Second Chance Act Demonstration Project funds in collaboration with a multidisciplinary team to provide an assessment-based continuum of care, pre- and post-release, for mid- to high-risk inmates at the Contra Costa County West Detention Facility. Our target communities, Richmond and Antioch, act as catch-basins for the highest number of probationers, but remain under-resourced communities that struggle to meet the multiple needs of the formally incarcerated. The Second Chance Demonstration Project would target approximately inmates at Contra Costa County West Detention Facility who have been sentenced to at least 4 months of incarceration, have been cleared for adult education services, assessed as “Mid” and “High Risk” by the Correctional Assessment and Intervention System™ (CAIS), and will be released under probation supervision to the target communities. Contra Costa County has an existing, Reentry Strategic Plan, product of a nine-month process involving approximately 200 reentry stakeholders from across Contra Costa County. The “Contra Costa County Reentry and Reintegration Collaborative” (CCCRRC) convened 14 meetings including County, city and state agencies, elected officials, service providers, formerly incarcerated individuals, community-based organizations, and residents from across the county to gather input and advise on the strategic reentry plan. Adopted by the County Board of Supervisors on March 22, 2011, the Contra Costa County Reentry Strategic Plan outlines a path to improve coordination and collaboration among reentry stakeholders and, ultimately, to improve outcomes for the formerly incarcerated residents of Contra Costa County. The County has also formalized a multi-disciplinary, Second Chance Act Demonstration Project Task Force, consisting of County, City, and community-based nonprofit partners, including County Administration, enforcement and corrections officials, and health, housing, and workforce development organizations to oversee the action plan proposed . The Second Chance Task Force, in collaboration with CCCRRC members, will introduce new elements into the County’s current re-entry processes. These include: 1) Establishing a Second Chance Reentry Coordinator at the County Administration level to oversee and coordinate multi-agency client service delivery, providing continuity pre- and pot-incarceration, and report to the Second Chance Task Force. 2) Using actuarial-based assessment (CAIS) instrument, targeting criminogenic needs that affect recidivism while inmates are serving their sentences, the Probation Department will become involved with selected inmates to help design a referral program three months prior to release. 3) Adding capacity within the existing prison facility for community-based-organizations to provide pre-release, and then sustained community based case management using existing networks of subcontractors that serve the target areas. Allocating substantial request and match resources to direct services for offenders, including mental health/substance abuse assessments and treatment, employment services, transitional housing, and support services. 4) Developing common measures and compatible data collection systems; blending funding streams and pooling resources; reconciling performance standards and analyzing current systems used to screen and assess the re-entry population. The Second Chance Task Force, including the Sheriff’s Office, District Attorney, Public Defender, Probation Office, Contra Costa County Health Services, Employment and Human Services, Workforce Investment Board, CAO, and Districts I and V, have all been collaborating to improve reentry and have made significant strides in providing pre-release programming and planning, evidence-based risk assessment, and comprehensive services. Second Chance funding would enable closer collaboration, more strategic use of resources, and progress toward safer communities. CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION: If the County does not apply for this grant, it will not be eligible to receive up to $750,000 in federal funds for adult offender reentry services. CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT: Not applicable.