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Home My WebLink AboutMINUTES - 12192005 - C.34 C . 3y TO: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS ? L" Contra FROM: JOHN SWEETEN Costa County Administrator __ ua _. `y ~' DATE: January 6, 2006 °°SrA-�o;�:�i`� County SUBJECT: REPORT ON COUNTY'S DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROGRAM I SPECIFIC REQUEST(S)OR RECOMMENDATIONS)&BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATION: APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the County Administrator, or designee, to execute contracts with the following agencies for the Dispute Resolution Program for calendar year 2006: Agency I Service Category Amount Center for Human Development General Dispute Resolution $ 40,000 Small Claims Mediation 40,000 Guardianship Mediation 26,000 Civil Harassment Mediation 13,000 Total $1191000 The Congress of Neutrals General Dispute Resolution $ 121000 Small Claims Mediation 46,000 Unlawful Detainer/Civil Harassment 17,000. Total $ 75,000 STAND! Against Domestic Violence General Dispute Resolution $ 6,000 TOTAL $200,000 FINANCIAL IMPACT: The Dispute Resolution Program is fully revenue offset by funds generated from an eight dollar filing fee on civil actions in the Superior Court. No County general funds are involved. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: ® YES SIGNATURE: r ® RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMII NISTRATOR ❑ RE01MENIYATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE ®APPROVE ❑ OTHER A SIGNATURE(S): �4 ACTION OF BO ON APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED ® OTHER ❑ VOTE OF SUPERVISORS: I HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE AND �" CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AND UNANIMOUS(ABSENT VtQ�—� ) ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD AYES: NOES: OF SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. ABSENT: ABSTAIN: I ATTESTED:,V 01 Contact: Jennifer Deadman 335-1057 JOHN SWEETEN, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR cc: CAO-Justice System Programs (for distribution) County Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee By: Deputy Page Two (2) January 6, 2006 BACKGROUND: The Dispute Resolution Program Act of 1986 (Business and Professional Code Sections 465,et seq.) provided 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, the 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 the Board to consider implementation strategies and ifunding guidelines appropriate for Contra Costa County. From 1989 through 1998, 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 IPrograms 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. In 1998,the State reissued the California Dispute Resolution Program Act and authorized counties to allocate up to $8.00 from filing fees to generatel new revenues for these local programs. Effective January 1, 1999, the dispute resolution portion of the civil filing fee in Contra Costa County increased from $3.00 to $8.00. The increase was approved by the Board of Supervisors pursuant to a request by the Superior Court. The Dispute Resolution Advisory Committee received six (6) applications in response to a Request for Proposals issued on October 26, 2005.1 The Committee met on January 6, 2005, to consider funding of the County's dispute resolution programs. The Advisory Committee voted to fund eight programs at the specified levels. The following is a brief description of each program: GENERAL DISPUTE RESOLUTION Center for Human Development/Conflict Resolution Panels will provide direct conflict resolution services including education, information, conciliation, referrals, and mediation. The agency will train community members in conflict resolution; conduct presentations to community groups, businesses, law enforcement agencies, and governmental agencieslto educate them about conflict resolution and CRP's services; and provide for-fee conflict resolution trai I ing to organizations. The Congress of Neutrals will provide a mediation clinic for Child Support Services under direction of the Family Law Division of the Superior Court. STAND! The Teen Conflict Management Program will provide a school-based violence prevention/dispute resolution education program to adolescent youth in schools throughout Contra Costa County. SMALL CLAIMS MEDIATION Center for Human Development will provide direct conflict resolution services including mediation in Walnut Creek's and Concord's Small Claims Courts. The Congress of Neutrals will provide small claim mediation services in the Pittsburg and Concord Courts. GUARDIANSHIP MEDIATION Center for Human Development will conduct confidential mediation sessions involving contested guardianship issues referred by the Probate Court. a 1 Page Three (3) January 6, 2006 UNLAWFUL DETAINER/CIVIL HARASSMENT The Congress of Neutrals will provide same-day mediation services for civil harassment and unlawful detainer cases at the Pittsburg Court. The Center for Human Development will provide a program in Concord Civil Harassment Court to provide direct conflict resolution services including education, information, conciliation, referrals, and mediation in at least 5 cases each month.