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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 12071993 - 1.105 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: PHIL BATCHELOR County Administrator DATE: November 4, 1993 SUBJECT: REPORT ON COUNTY'S DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROGRAM Specific Request(s) or Recommendations(s) & Bac groun usti ication RECOMMENDATION: 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 93/94 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. $10,870 Superior Court (G.A.V.E.L. ) $25.979 Total $150,000 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. REASONS 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 co r impMentation strategies and CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: X YES Signature: 7e,5-61Z-1� Recommendation of County Administrator Recommendation of Board Committee Approve Other Signature(s) : Action of Board on: &". Z y i3 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: Attested: L,4 2 /,,5��R3 cc: CAO-Justice System Programs Phil Batchelor, Clerk of (for distribution) the Board of Supervisors County Dispute Resolution and County Administrator Advisory Committee Contact: Lisa Driscoll 646-4855 By: DEPUTY 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. 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 28, 1993 to consider funding of the County's dispute resolution programs. The Committee had received six proposals , one from each of the existing projects. 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 six existing programs at their prior year level , except Shelter, Inc. which requested $478 less than the FY 1992-93 level . The Committee voted to give the $478 left from the $150,000 available to the Superior Court. Three of the six projects began November 1, 1993 (Battered Women's Alternatives, Shelter, Inc. , and CA Community Dispute Services : the remaining three begin January 1 , 1994. SUMMARIES OF RECOMMENDED DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROJECTS Battered Women's Alternatives: Will provide alternative dispute resolution for adult couples; educate adolescent youth in family, peer, and relationship dispute resolution: counsel adolescent youth in groups and individually to resolve family or peer relationship disputes; train social service and 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 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 community organizations through presentations which introduce Victim Offender Reconciliation Program (VORP) and identify avenues for collaboration: recruit and train diverse group of community mediators ; conduct a four session Training for Trainers; provide technical assistance in facilitation and mediation to volunteers : receive and provide conciliation and screening for juvenile offender cases and their victims: mediate 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, at least 50% of which will reach case development stage, and at least 10% of which will proceed to mediation; train community members in conflict resolution; provide trainings for organizations on a for-fee basis; conduct presentations to community groups, businesses, and agencies to educate about conflict resolution. Shelter, Incorporated: Will mediate disputes: educate community-based and public agencies on landlord/tenant law; educate the public on federal and state fair housing regulations; counsel households of their rights and responsibilities as tenants and landlords; provide information and counseling to 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; distribute flyers, posters and other promotional materials throughout the county. Superior Court - Giving Alternative Vehicles Ending Litigation (GAVEL) : Will deliver dispute resolution services to 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.