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HomeMy WebLinkAboutMINUTES - 07121988 - 2.2 To: BOARD OF SUPERVISORS FROM: Contra Phil Batchelor, County Administrator Cost DATE: C`."'"' "JvWICI July 11, 1988 SUBJECT: Status Report on Youth Services Board Efforts on Drug Abuse Prevention SPECIFIC REQUEST(S) OR RECCMMENDATION(S) & BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION RECOMMENDATIONS: 1 . Include on the Extended Youth Services Board the Drug Abuse Program Chief and the Alcohol Program Chief; 2. Ensure Social Services staff ' s participation in meetings of the County' s Drug Abuse Advisory Board; 3 . Direct that the Health Services Director prepare a report on the current drug abuse prevention efforts particularly focusing on the Public Health and Drug/Alcohol/Mental Health Divisions' proposed Infant High Risk Project and intervention program proposal on prenatal care, and that these programs be reported to staff throughout our Human Services Departments and to community groups; 4 . Coordinate interagency staff efforts to obtain funding for drug abuse prevention programs from Federal and State agencies and from foundations or private businesses; 5 . Establish an interagency Drug Abuse Prevention Action Team to develop and implement, within three to six months, a two-fold drug abuse prevention program: a) intervention and treatment program for children in out-of-home placement.,.,- or in imminent risk of placement who are using drugs, and b) intervention and treatment program for parents, pregnant women, and Family Preservation Program participants who are using drugs and whose children are in out-of-home placement or are in imminent risk of placement. CONTINUED ON ATTACHMENT: _ YES SIGNATURE: `✓� RECOMMENDATION OF COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE APPROVE OTHER SIGNATURE(S1: ACTION OF BOARD ON Jury 12, 1988 APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED X OTHER VOTE OF SUPERVISORS 1 HEREBY CERTIFY THAT THIS IS A TRUE X UNANIMOUS (ABSENT ) AND CORRECT COPY OF AN ACTION TAKEN AYES: NOES: AND ENTERED ON THE MINUTES OF THE BOARD ABSENT: ABSTAIN: OF. SUPERVISORS ON THE DATE SHOWN. CC: County Administrator ATTESTED Health Services Director PfVL BAT ELOR, CLERK OF THE BOARD OF Social Services Director SUPERVISORS AND COUNTY ADMINISTRATOR Probation Sheriff Superintendent of Schools BY ,DEPUTY M382/7-83 As part of this program effort ensure c) interagency training for staff in identifying drug abuse and in coordinating interdepartmental drug abuse prevention for clients. This interagency Drug Abuse Prevention Action Team should include staff from Mental Health/Drug Abuse Prevention, Public Health, Social Service, Probation, law enforcement, and school districts; and, Refer to CHART (Community Homeless Action and Resource Team) assessing the feasibility of using Homeless Emergency funds to establish a shelter which would include drug abuse intervention. BACKGROUND: On June 7th your Board referred to the Youth Services Board a review of multi-agency efforts on drug abuse prevention. You requested an initial Status Report within 30 days. Our review established that there are a very large number of programs aimed at drug abuse prevention both within county government and within the community. Our review also identified three major issues impacting drug abuse prevention efforts. 1. The gap is significant in available resources for middle and upper income families from those resources for low-income and poverty level families; 2 . The purpose of prevention programs must be on Breaking-the-Cycle, but differences exist on whether the focus should be on the parent or on the child; and, 3 . The large number of programs, task forces, and special committees results in duplication of efforts and in extra work for county staff already stretched to cover their regular assignments. A fourth issue was evident prior to our review - 4. Fiscal constraints restrict local government in carrying out current programs and impede the development of new drug abuse prevention programs. Our six ( 6) recommendations are intended to address these four ( 4) issues. Our staff spoke with representatives from CASA and from the Mt. Diablo School District drug abuse prevention program. Staff reported the following: CASA focuses on alternative activities for youth, families, and individuals. Treatment is generally covered by family health insurance. CASA provides extensive video and training materials throughout the San Ramon Valley community. CASA work is supported by group, individual, and corporate contributions. 6. The Mt. Diablo School District - in conjunction with the cities of Concord, Walnut Creek, Pleasant Hill, Martinez - has been relying on a $67,000 grant and local agency in-kind staff support. To continue the programs, and expand them throughout the school district, additional money is necessary for FY88-89. -3- The 3-The funding concerns faced by the Mt. Diablo School District-Cities ' program highlights the differences in resources available to lower income/poverty level families. Low income families and families in poverty are not in settings in which alternative activities are readily available or in which treatment is affordable. Government' s role with these families seems to be greater. The primary, and legal, responsibility for Drug Abuse Prevention/Intervention rests with divisions within the Health Services Department. Clearly, persons (children, families, individuals) served by Social Service, Probation, Schools, Law Enforcement, and Courts are more and more frequently involved in or exposed to drug abuse. The Social Service Department provides services to predominantly low income and poverty level families. Given these program focuses and the gap in available services, the Youth Services Board' s recommendations are aimed at coordinating Mental Health and Social Service efforts with families facing drug abuse problems. In particular, Social Service is responsible for intervention, referral, and funding for clients eligible to the AFDC and Medi-Cal programs; these funds may be used to offset Mental Health costs for children/families. Recommendations 1 through 4 are intended to reduce duplication in staff efforts, and assist in providing information to staff in each department regarding available resources and proposed programs. In particular, recommendation 5 results from discussions with schools, community, and mental health representatives on gaps in current programs. Social Service is primarily the "funnel" into Mental Health Services for children, in out-of-home placements, who are using drugs. However, Mental Health staff believe to overlook providing similar services to parent( s) also using drugs will result in returning a child to an environment in which drugs are acceptable. Recommendation 6 results from discussions with Supervisor Powers and Drug Abuse Prevention staff regarding alternative interagency interventions possible in West County.