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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 12161997 - C96 TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: PHIL BATCHELOR County Administrator DATE: November 26, 1997 SUBJECT: REPORT ON COUNTY'S DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROGRAM Specific Request(s) or Recommendations(s) & Background & Justification RECOMMENDATION: AUTHORIZE the County Administrator, or his designee, to execute on behalf of the County contracts with the following agencies required to continue the dispute resolution program for the 1997-98 fiscal year: Implementing Agency 97/98 Amount Battered Women's Alternatives $11,000 California Community Dispute Services $34,000 Catholic Charities (VORP) $11,000 Center for Human Development (CRP) $34,000 Total $90,000 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. 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 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. CONTINUED ON A MENT• YES Signature: Recommendation o un y dministrator _ Recommendation of Board Committee Approve _ Other Signature(s): Action of Board on: 12,-1 Ip - 199.1 Approved as Recommended Other Vote of Supervisors: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE / AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN J Unanimous (Absent AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE Ayes:_ Noes:— BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ON DATE SHOWN. Absent:_Abstain: Attested: / 9 7 cc: CAO-Justice System Programs Phil Batchelor, Clerk of the Board of (for distribution) of Supervisors and County Administrator County Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee By: �, DEPUTY Contact: Lisa Driscoll 335-1055 Page Two (2) November 26, 1997 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. 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 Resolution Programs Act. The Committee formed a County Dispute Resolution Network, which is composed of a representative from each of the funded program agencies. It meets periodically and coordinates County-wide training, advertisement and services. All of the project representatives continue to meet together with staff from the County Administrator's Office to coordinate alternate dispute resolution efforts. The Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee met on November 25, 1997 to consider funding of the county's dispute resolution programs. In response to a Request for Proposals, the Committee had received four proposals, all from existing projects. One of the existing projects, CCC Conflict Resolution Panels, Inc., had some difficulties in the last year maintaining consistent administrative support. Their Board of Directors have negotiated with the Center for Human Development to incorporate the Conflict Resolution Panels program into the other programs of the Center for Human Development. This solution should strengthen delivery of services for the Conflict Resolution Panels program. The committee voted to fund the four existing programs at the levels specified. Two of the four projects began November 1, 1997 (Battered Women's Alternatives and CA Community Dispute Services); the remaining two begin January 1, 1998. The following is a brief description of each program: Battered Women's Alternatives plans to provide alternative dispute resolution for 25 adult couples; educate 2000 adolescent youth in family, peer, and relationship dispute resolution; counsel 50 adolescent youth in groups and 50 individually to resolve family or peer relationship disputes; provide alternative dispute resolution for 50 youth and adults in either youth or youth/adult relationships; train 150 social service and school district personnel on adolescent relationship dispute resolution; maintain ongoing cooperative working relationships among dispute resolution service providers within Contra Costa County. California Community Dispute Services plans to deliver dispute resolution services to 500-750 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/Victim Offender Reconciliation Program plans to continue collaborations in West County, offering mediation to at least 75 youth identified as repeat truants with a history of arrests; maintain referrals through the Department of Probation; train at least 20 Richmond area residents; provide mediation services to at least 100 youth charged with crimes and their victims; continue to involve Richmond area youth in conflict resolution through internships; continue to implement the Transformative Mediation Project methods in trainings; continue to host monthly California Association of Community Mediation Programs meetings. Center for Human Development/Conflict Resolution Panels plans to provide direct conflict resolution services in 500 cases, at least 50% of which will reach case development stage, and at least 20% of which will proceed to full panel mediation; train 125 community members in conflict resolution; conduct at least 12 presentations to community groups, businesses, law enforcement agencies, and governmental agencies; provide for-fee conflict resolution training to at least 4 organizations; and conduct at least 5 for-fee mediations to Real Estate Mediation Services. The Contra Costa County Coordinated Courts operate a variety of alternative dispute resolution programs with trial court funding and other revenues. They also coordinate services with the participants of the County Dispute Resolution Network.