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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 10231990 - 2.2 2-®®2 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: PHIL BATCHELOR County Administrator , DATE: October 23, 1990 SUBJECT: REPORT ON COUNTY'S DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROGRAM Specific Request(s) or Recommendations(s) & Background & Justification RECOMMENDATION: 1. Accept Report from the Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee on the County's Dispute Resolution Program and adopt second year funding recommendations as follows: Implementing Agency. Project Title 90/91 Amount Battered Women's Alternatives Teen Program $11,348 Housing Alliance of C.C.C. Housing Alliance of C.C.C. $11,348 Housing Authority/Cty of Rich. Housing Authority/Cty of Rich. $11,348 Human Relations Commission Human Relations Commission $11,348 Catholic Charities Victim Offender Reconcil. Prg. $11,348 C.C. Conflict Resol. Pnls, Inc. Conflict Resolution Panels $43,260 CA Community Dispute Services West C.C.C. Comm. Disp. Svs. $47,195 2. Authorize the County Administrator or his designee to execute on behalf of the County the following second year contracts required to implement the following dispute resolution programs: Organization 90/91 Amount Battered Women's Alternatives $11,348 Housing Alliance of Contra Costa County $11,348 Housing Authority/City of Richmond $11,348 Catholic Charities/VORP $11,348 C.C. Conflict Resolution Panels, Inc. $43,260 CA Community Dispute Services $47,195 FINANCIAL IMPACT: The Dispute Resolution Program is fully revenue offset by funds generated from a three dollar filing fee on civil actions in the Superior and Municipal Courts. No County general funds are involved. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND: The Dispute Resolution Program Act of 1986 (Business and Professional Code Sections 465, et seq.) provides for the establishment and funding, at County option, of local dispute resolution services as an alternative to formal court proceedings. The Act authorizes participating counties to increase Superior, Munici and Justice Court's filing fees from one to three dollars for the pur os of f ndi g the local dispute resolution programs. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES Signature: Recommendation of County Administrator Recommendation of Board Committee Approve Other Signature(s): Action of Board on: October 23, 1990 Approved as Recommended X Other Vote of Supervisors: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN X Unanimous (Absent ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE Ayes: Noes: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN. Absent: Abstain: Attested: � 073. 1990 cc: CAO-Justice System Programs Phil Batchelor, Clerk of (for distribution) the Board of Supervisors County Dispute Resolution and County Administrator Advisory Committee County Administrator By: , DEPUTY + Page Two On January 1, 1987 the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors approved the County's participation in the program and authorized a three dollar increase in court filing fees. The Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee was formed to consider implementation strategies and funding guidelines appropriate for Contra Costa County. The Advisory Committee solicited proposals for funding under the Dispute Resolution Programs Act of 1986. The purpose of the funding is to encourage the establishment and use of local dispute resolution services as an alternative to formal court proceedings. The program operates under the provisions of the Dispute Resolutions Program Act and Regulations effective October 1, 1989, which requirements along with the Act itself were incorporated into the Request For Proposals (RFP). In 1989-90, the Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee established program funding priorities and set a first year funding level of $147,195. Seven projects were funded with the understanding that this would be the first of a three funding cycle. In addition to these projects, the Committee formed a County Dispute Resolution Network. The Network, which is composed of a representative from each of the program agencies meets monthly and coordinates County-wide training, advertisement and services. REPORT OF DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROGRAM ADVISORY COMMITTEE The Dispute Resolution Program Advisory Committee met on October 4, 1990 to consider second year funding of the County's dispute resolution programs. The Committee heard presentations from the seven projects funded during the first program year. Each project representative was asked to give a brief description of first year goals and objectives and to answer questions from the Committee. During the first program year projects organized, secured office space, hired staff, trained volunteers, began taking referrals from various justice system agencies, and conducted hearings. Many of the projects reported having achieved 1007 of their first year goals by the end of the first year's third quarter. Projects also reported having made positive contracts with key justice officials. One project was featured on a television segment on Victim Offender Reconciliation. As part of the County Dispute Resolution Network a flyer was printed and distributed County-wide. The flyer lists phone numbers and a description of each of the participating programs. The Network also decided to print wallet sized cards with information from each program. The cards will be used for advertisement and will be given to police personnel. After hearing presentations, the Committee voted to fund the 1989/90 programs for a second program year. PROJECT SUMMARIES Battered Women's Alternatives Provide conflict mediation and resolution for 20 adult couples; educate 500 teen men and women in family, peer, and relationship dispute resolution; conduct on-site gender-separate support groups, reaching 30 teens at risk for violence per program year, and 30 youth individually; select and train six teens from the groups to assist in education presentations; develop a implement specific life plans for all clients. Catholic Charities - Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) Recruit and train 15 volunteers; provide conciliation and screening for 60-victim-offender case referrals; mediate and complete 30 restitution agreements; monitor agreements, coordinate restitution payment and conduct follow-up meetings as appropriate for the 30 victim-offender agreements; coordinate services with other programs; continue outreach; assist other criminal jurisdictions and community organizations interested in developing programs; participate as a local site in national victim-offender mediation research project. Contra Costa County Human Relations Commission Provide referral services to all conflict resolution programs in the County; provide training to individuals selected by HRC for their ability to maintain credibility with disputants; provide mediation for incidents motivated by bigotry or bias occurring within schools and in the community. Housing Alliance of Contra Costa County, Inc. Mediate 140 disputes involving 280 people, which concern landlord/tenant law; train local police department officers and Contra Costa County Sheriff deputies; educate community-based and public agencies; publicize availability of agency services by distributing flyers and posters; disseminate educational materials; offer information and counseling; give public presentations about the agency's services. * . Page Three Housing Authority of the City of Richmond Provide conflict resolution services to tenants residing in six public housing developments in the City of Richmond, mediating at least 120 cases; maintain a volunteer core of 35 to 45 tenant volunteers; . work with the Contra Costa County Housing Authority to develop and implement a similar conflict resolution program in three selected public housing developments in County jurisdiction; strengthen its referral linkages; maintain ongoing cooperative working relationships among dispute resolution service providers; work with the Anti-Drug Coordinator to negotiate agreements between residents who come to the attention of management for substance abuse problems. Conflict Resolution Panels of Contra Costa County Provide direct conflict resolution services in 300 cases, 50% of which will reach the case development stage, and 10% of which will reach a full panel hearing; obtain multiple organizational referrals from 10 new sources; train 70 new community residents; provide support services for 200 volunteers, including continuous training, volunteer recognition ceremonies, and regularly scheduled meetings to assure group cohesiveness, communication, and skill development; provide' for-fee conflict resolution training for at least three organizations. California Community Dispute Services Deliver dispute resolution services to justice system and community referral clients, develop and maintain active referral process with public justice system agencies, train and/or provide support services to volunteers, provide general public relations and outreach efforts to educate community. i