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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 11031992 - 1.46 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS 1 . 46 FROM: PHIL BATCHELOR County Administrator DATE: November 3, 1992 SUBJECT: REPORT ON COUNTY'S DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROGRAM Specific Requests) or Recommendations(s) & Background & Justification RECOMMENDATION: 1. Accept Report from the Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee on the County's Dispute Resolution Program, approve projects and funding recommendations as follows, and authorize the County Administrator or his designee to execute on behalf of the County the following contracts required to implement the following dispute resolution programs: Implementing Agency 92/93 Amount Battered Women's Alternatives $11,348 California Community Dispute Services $47,195 Catholic Charities (VORP) $11,348 C.C. Conflict Resolution Panels, Inc. $43,260 SHELTER, Inc. $11,348 Superior Court (G.A.V.E.L. ) $25,501 2. Rename the County Justice System Subvention . Program Advisory Group the County Justice System Program Advisory Group. 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. The first five projects listed above require contracts to implement. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: R YES Signature: / Recommendation of County Administrator Recommendation of Board Committee Approve Other Signature(s): Action of Board on: 4 qA Approved as Recommended _ Other Vote of Supervisors: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN - Unanimous (Absent ) AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE Ayes: Noes: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN. Absent: Abstain: / Contact: Lisa Driscoll 646-4855 Attested: cc: CAO-Justice System Programs Phil Batchelor, Clerk of (for distribution) the Board of Supervisors County Dispute Resolution and County Administrator Advisory Committee By: , DEPUTY ' .^,EASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND - DISPUTE RESOLUTION ADVISORY GROUP: 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 authorized participating counties to increase Superior, Municipal and Justice Courts filing fees from one to three dollars for the purpose of funding the local dispute resolution programs. On January 1, 1987 your Board 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. In 1989-90, 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 Programs Act: Statutes and Regulations Amendments through 12991, which requirements along with the Act itself were incorporated into the Request For Proposals (RFP) . The Advisory Committee established program funding priorities and set a funding level of $147,195. Seven projects were funded for 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 In September 1992, the Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee had the benefit of an evaluation report which indicated that existing projects were meeting or exceeding their objectives and were nearing the end of the three year funding cycle. The Committee decided to issue an open RFP with a targeted funding level of $150,000. Five of the existing six programs and one new program replied to the RFP. The Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee met on October 27, 1992 to consider funding of the County's dispute resolution programs. The Committee heard presentations from the six projects. Each project representative was asked to give a brief description of their program and answer questions from the Committee. After hearing presentations, the Committee voted to fund the five existing programs at their prior year level and to fund the Superior Court with the remaining funding available ($25,501) . SUMMARIES OF RECOMMENDED DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROJECTS Battered Women's Alternatives: Will provide alternative dispute resolution for 20 adult couples; educate 1500 adolescent youth in family, peer, and relationship dispute resolution; counsel 30 adolescent youth in groups and 30 individually to resolve family or peer relationship disputes; provide alternative dispute resolution for 15 adolescent couples; provide successful alternative resolution for 5 parent/adolescent youth relationships; train 50 social service and 50 school district personnel who work with youth on adolescent relationship dispute resolution and mediation; maintain ongoing cooperative working relationships among dispute resolution service providers within Contra Cost County to ensure effective referral and provision of services. California Community Dispute Services: Will deliver dispute resolution services to 750 justice system and community referral parties, 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. Catholic Charities: Will conduct outreach to 20 community organizations through presentations which introduce VORP and identify avenues for collaboration; support a steering committee of grassroots leadership and volunteer mediators to provide direction for program planning, outreach, training and evaluation; recruit and train diverse group of 30 community mediators; conduct a four session Training for Trainers; conduct at least 2 continuing education events for mediators; provide technical assistance in facilitation and mediation to volunteers; receive and provide conciliation and screening for 120 juvenile offender cases and their victims; mediate 60 cases and complete written agreements; monitor agreements, coordinate restitution payment, and conduct follow-up meetings as needed. Conflict Resolution Panels: Will provide direct conflict resolution services in 400 cases, at least 50% of which will reach case development stage, and at least 10% of which will proceed to mediation; train 60 community members in conflict resolution; provide at least 3 trainings for organizations on a for-fee basis; conduct at least 10 presentations to community groups, businesses, and agencies to educate about conflict resolution. The project may develop and pilot specific programs in at least 2 of the following areas; attorney-oriented mediation; schools programs, youth and family mediation; large group mediation; public policy mediation; and for-fee mediation. Shelter, Incorporated: Will mediate 140 disputes involving 280 people; educate community-based and public agencies on landlord/tenant law - four sessions; educate the public on federal and state fair housing regulations in four workshops; counsel 1850 households of their rights and responsibilities as tenants and landlords; provide information and counseling to 50 households calling about housing discrimination; disseminate educational materials on landlord/tenant law and fair housing regulations through public agencies, media and direct mailing to county residents; publicize agency services by giving public presentations 8 times a year; distribute flyers, posters and other promotional materials throughout the county. Superior Court - Giving Alternative Vehicles Ending Litigation (GAVEL) : Will deliver dispute resolution services to 1200 - 1500 clients in the following ways: Extraordinary Assistance to Settle Early (EASE) , early intervention mechanism for accelerated resolution of a case; Special Mediators Actively Resolving Trial (SMART) , on day of trial, mediator will review issues with parities and make settlement recommendations; Trials on Time (TOT) , guarantees a certain trial date and a judge pro tempore; Binding Arbitration, parties may stipulate to binding arbitration similar to judicial arbitration, except that the arbitrator's award is final judgement. REASONS FOR RECOMMENDATION/BACKGROUND - JUSTICE SYSTEM SUBVENTION PROGRAM ADVISORY GROUP The County Justice System Program Advisory Group was created in 1978 as an advisory group to your Board on the County Justice System Subvention Program (AB 90) . The Subvention Program itself, as of 1991, is now part of program realignment as set forth in Chapter 89, Statutes of 1991 (AB 1288) , Welfare and Institutions Code Section 17602. The Advisory Group has been designated by your Board to continue to provide oversight on these programs. The recommended name change simply reflects the change in program name pursuant to State law.