HomeMy WebLinkAboutRESOLUTIONS - 01012004 - 2004-201 1.11.1.. ... ......... _........ .._...... .... . ..._. ....... ........ ..............__......_. .
In the Matter of Endorsing the )
California Mental Health Initiataive ) RESOLUTION NO. 2004120:1
WHEREAS, an estimated 20% of all Americans will experience a diagnosable serious mental illness sometime in their
lifetime; and according to the State of California statistics (2044) 5.4% or 1.3 million Californians have a serious mental
illness;and
WHEREAS California spends more than $1 billion to incarcerate and treat 15% of the inmate population — or roughly
24,004 California inmates with mental illness, not including local corrections costs; and California's prisons and jails have
become de facto mental institutions — the latest data available indicates that California spendsan estimated $1.2 to 1.8
billion on criminal justice law enforcement dealing with people with mental illness;and
R ERE9 , a comprehensive mental health services, such as those available through the Integrated Services Program (AB
34), demonstrate that for roughly $35 to $50 per day, these same individuals can access needed services that for most
ultimately lead to return to employment and an ability to get off of public assistance (California Department of Correction and
the Department of Mental Health Reports 2002), and
WHEREAS; an estimated 20 to 40% of the homeless population suffer from mental illness; more than 50,000 individuals
with disabling mental illness live on and off the streets of California;and
WTIEREAS, individuals with disabling mental illness who are homeless are often incarcerated for nuisance and petty crimes
but when offered comprehensive community based treatment and safe housing — the incarceration and homeless rate drops to
less than 2%(Report, State Department of Mental Health 2002);and
4WERF,AS, the President's New Freedom Commission on Mental Health, (July 2003) cited the AB 34 program as a
"model program" worthy of emulation by others states, Governor Davis' Interagency Taskforce on Homelessness in 2002
recognized AB 34 as one of the few effective programs that addresses the vulnerable population of homeless individuals with
mental illness; and
WHEREAS, the California Mental Health Services Act, as proposed by mental health advocates and providers, will greatly
enhance funding for local mental health treatment, including DPH recommended strategies to improve homeless housing and
services.
NOIR, THEREFORg BE IT R'ESO'LVED that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County does hereby endorse
the California Mental Health Initiative.
PASSEDANDADOPTED OYMay 4, 200 by a unanimous v o Board members present.
FEDERAL D. GLOVER
r ! Chair
District V Supe
JOAN GI L4 rrri r IeGA'I�OL .kL K EMA
t District I Supervisor District II Supervisor
00
MILLIE GREENBERG MARK DeSAULNIER
District III Supervisor District IV Supervisor
!? , I hereby certify that the foregoing is a true and correct copy of a resolution
* entered on the minutes ofsaid Board of Supervisors on the aforesaid date.
Witness my hand and the Seal of the Board of Supervisors affixed this 4rh
day of May 2004.
JOHN SWEETEN, County Administrator and Clerk of the Board of
s-•' ' Supervisors r,?
C>�s
co
By
Deputy Clerk
Introduced by supervisor Mark Desaulnier