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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 06172014 - C.52RECOMMENDATION(S): APPROVE and 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 Two-phase Adult Reentry Demonstration Program in an amount not to exceed $750,000 to plan and implement programs and strategies to reduce recidivism and ensure the safe and successful reentry of adults released from prisons and jails for the period October 1, 2014 through September 30, 2016. FISCAL IMPACT: Demonstration grants up to $750,000 will be awarded for a period of 24 months. 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. Probation will use state funds designated for Adult Probation to provide the required match. 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 APPROVE OTHER RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE Action of Board On: 06/17/2014 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED OTHER Clerks Notes: VOTE OF SUPERVISORS AYE:John Gioia, District I Supervisor Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor Mary N. Piepho, District III Supervisor Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor Contact: Jessie Warner, 925-313-4158 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: June 17, 2014 David Twa, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of Supervisors By: Chris Heck, Deputy cc: C. 52 To:Board of Supervisors From:David Twa, County Administrator Date:June 17, 2014 Contra Costa County Subject:Second Chance Act Adult Offender Reentry Program Demonstration Project FY 2014 BACKGROUND: (CONT'D) 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 program is to support jurisdictions to develop and implement comprehensive and collaborative strategies that address the challenges posed by reentry to increase public safety and reduce recidivism for medium to high risk individuals reentering communities from incarceration. Contra Costa 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 housed with the Contra Costa County Sheriff's Office. 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 150 inmates over two years in Contra Costa County Facilities 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.