HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 11191991 - 1.85 Y
TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS sE.. ,•o ��
Conga
FROM: PHIL BATCHELOR, County Administrator
Costa
_ 4o County
DATE: cOrr-• �
November 19 , 1991 ------
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SUBJECT: REPORTS ON COUNTY' S DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROGRAM AND
JUSTICE SYSTEM SUBVENTION PROGRAM
SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATION(S)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Accept Report from the Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee on
the County' s Dispute Resolution Program, adopt third year
funding recommendations as follows, and authorize the County
Administrator or his designee to execute on behalf of the County
the following third year contracts required to implement the
following dispute resolution programs:
Implementing Agency 91/92 Amount
Battered Women' s Alternatives $11,348
C.C. Conflict Resolution Panels, Inc. $43 ,260
CA Community Dispute Services $47 ,195
Catholic Charities/VORP $11, 348
Housing Authority/City of Richmond $11, 348
Human Relations Commission $11, 348
SHELTER, Inc. $11,348
2. Accept Report from the Subvention Advisory Group and authorize
the Advisory Group to continue to review and monitor Subvention
program projects and make annual recommendations to the Board of
Supervisors for funding.
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.
CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: YES SIGNATURE:
RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COE
APPROVE OTHER
SIGNATUREM:
ACTION OF BOARD ON NOV 9 1991- APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED h OTHER
VOTE OF SUPERVISORS
1r I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE
/� UNANIMOUS(ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN
AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD
ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN.
Cc: CAO--Justice System Program ATTESTED NOV 19 1991
( for distribution) PHIL BATCHELOR,CLERK OF THE BOARD OF
County Dispute Resolution SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR
Advisory Committee
County Justice System Subvention
Program Advisory Group
BY
M382 (10/88) DEPUTY
I
REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND-DISPUTE RESOLUTION:
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, Municipal and Justice
Court' s filing fees from one to three dollars for the purpose of
funding the local dispute resolution programs.
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 created by your Board to consider
implementation strategies and funding guidelines appropriate for
Contra Costa County. The County Justice System Subvention Program
Advisory Group served as the nucleus of this Committee with
additional representation from the Municipal Court and County Bar
Association.
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 year 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 Advisory Committee met on October 30 , 1991 to
consider third year funding of the County' s dispute resolution
programs. The Committee heard presentations from six of the seven
projects funded during the second program year. Each project
representative was asked to give a brief description of second year
goals and objectives and to answer questions from the Committee.
During the second program year projects reported have achieved their
goals, many after only three quarters. Projects also reported having
made positive contacts with key justice officials. One project was
awarded the Concord Human Relation Commissions award for community
involvement.
As part of the County Dispute Resolution Network business cards were
printed and distributed County-wide. The care lists phone numbers
and a description of each of the participating programs. The cards
are used for advertisement and are given to police personnel.
After hearing presentations, the Committee voted to fund the 1991/92
programs for a third program year.
SUMMARIES OF RECOMMENDED DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROJECTS
Battered Women' s Alternatives: Provide conflict mediation and
resolution for 20 adult couples; educate 1100 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
educational presentations; develop and implement specific life
plans for all clients.
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s
Catholic Catholic Charities - Victim Offender Reconciliation
Program (VORP) : Recruit and train 15 volunteers; provide
conciliation and screening for 80 victim-offender case
referrals; mediate and complete 40 restitution agreements;
monitor agreements, coordinate restitution payment and conduct
follow-up meetings as appropriate for the 40 victim-offender
agreements; coordinate services with other programs; continue
outreach; assist with other criminal jurisdictions and community
organizations interested in developing programs; co-host
training conference for the U.S. Association for Victim-Offender
Mediation.
Contra Costa County Human Relations Commission: Provide a
central screening office for the receipt and referral of
requests; refer residents to appropriate agencies, and to
substantially increase the number of those referrals; train
community leaders and officials in the art of crisis
intervention, and to respond to bias related incidents.
SHELTER, Inc. : Mediate 140 disputes involving 280 people, which
concern landlord/tenant law; educate community-based and public
agencies in six sessions; educate the public on federal and
state fair housing regulations in four workshops; educate law
enforcement agencies in four sessions; counsel 700 households of
their rights and responsibilities as tenants and landlords;
disseminate educational materials; offer information and
counseling; give public presentations eight times a year about
the agency' s services.
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 services
providers; work with the Anti-Drug Coordinator to negotiate
agreements between residents who come to the attention of
management for substance abuse problems. The Advisory Committee
is recommending approval contingent upon compliance with all 2nd
year requirements.
Conflict Resolution Panels of Contra Costa County, Inc. : Provide
direct conflict resolution services in 400 cases, 500 of which
will reach case development stage, and 100 of which will reach a
full panel hearing; obtain multiple organizational referrals
from five 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 750 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 the community.
REPORT OF THE COUNTY JUSTICE SYSTEM SUBVENTION PROGRAM ADVISORY GROUP
The Advisory Group met on October 30, 1991 to discuss the future of
the County Justice System Subvention Program (AB 90) . The FY 1991/92
projects have already been approved by your Board and are in complete
operation. However, the Subvention Program itself is now part of
realignment. Chapter 89, Statutes of 1991 (AB 1288) , Welfare and
Institutions Code Section 17602 provides that a number of programs
are now part of the new realignment program. Three of these programs
are in the justice area: 1. County Justice System Subvention
Program (AB 90) (W & I Code 1806) ; 2 . Youth Service Bureau Program
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(W & I Code 1906) ; 3 . Delinquency Prevention Program (W & I Code
1794) . The County Justice System Subvention Program projects and
amounts have already been approved by your Board and are currently
operating. The Youth Service Bureau Program now being implemented by
the West Contra Costa Youth Service Bureau has also been approved by
your Board and is in operation. Guidelines for the Delinquency
Prevention Program have not yet been received from the State.
It should be mentioned that Chapter 91, Statutes of 1991 (AB 948) (W
& I Code Section 881. 5) imposes a requirement upon counties that if
there is an increase in commitments from a county' s juvenile court to
the California Youth Authority, the county must begin to pay the
Youth Authority for that commitment by a reduction in the amount of
realignment monies. Thus, it. highly important that the County
continue to do a good job of controlling it commitments to the Youth
Authority. This has always been one of the major goals of the County
Justice System Subvention Program Advisory Group.
With this in mind, the Advisory Group is recommending, and the
County Administrator concurs, that it is important to provide
continuity in the design, monitoring and implementation of all the
justice programs covered by the realignment legislation, including
the Subvention Program. Therefore, it is recommended that the County
Justice System Subvention Program Advisory Group continue to perform
its mandate in this area and continue to make annual program and
funding recommendations to the Board of Supervisors.
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