Adopt budget resolution adjusting the Health and Human Services Agency budget for Fiscal Year 2024-25 to reflect an increase of $2,082,000 for the Criminal Justice Behavioral Health Cost Center in the Adult & Aging Branch; and approve and authorize the Chair to sign State Agreement No. 24-79019-000 with California Department of State Hospitals (DSH) in the amount of $12,322,000 for the period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2029 for the provision of Diversion Program services for Felony Mental Health Diversion Clients. (No general fund impact) (4/5 vote required) (Sullivan)

Resolution for Budget Amendment:
On or about September 24, 2024, the Board of Supervisors for the County of Yolo adopted a budget for fiscal year 2024-25 for the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA). During the adopted budget process, HHSA Fiscal staff were unaware that the California Department of State Hospitals (DSH) received funds in its 2024-25 budget to allow HHSA to establish a new or expand its existing Felony Mental Health Diversion Program; therefore, the additional funds were not included in the adopted budget process.

Approval of the request herein will enable HHSA to add the amount of $2,082,000 to the Health and Human Services Agency adopted budget for fiscal year 2024-25 and subsequently enter into State Agreement No. 24-79019-000 with DSH to receive the revenue funds in order to administer a pre-trial jail Diversion Program for individuals charged with felony offenses in Yolo County.

State Agreement:
DSH received funds in the 2024-25 budget to expand Felony Mental Health Diversion (Diversion) programs. As part of the expansion, DSH is providing counties with an opportunity to establish new or expand existing diversion programs for clients that were found Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST) per Penal Code §1370 and are on the DSH waitlist.

The County desires to enter into State Agreement No. 24-79019-000 with DSH to administer a pre-trial jail Diversion program for individuals charged with felony offenses in Yolo County. Diversion participants are individuals with serious mental disorders who have committed certain felony crimes and found by a court of competent jurisdiction to qualify for diversion services pursuant to Penal Code § 1001.36 (hereafter referred to as “Diversion Clients”). The County will provide clinically appropriate or evidence-based mental health treatment and wraparound services across a continuum of care, as appropriate, to meet the individual needs of Diversion Clients. Wraparound services provided by the Diversion program shall include appropriate housing, intensive case management, and substance use disorder treatment, and may include, without limitation, crisis residential services, criminal justice coordination, peer support, and vocational support. The County will also secure appropriate placements, housing and services for Diversion Clients found IST who are currently on the DSH IST waitlist.

Yolo County joined the Stepping Up initiative to reduce the number of people with mental illness in jail in 2015. Between March 2016 and December 2018, the Criminal Justice Continuum of Care (CJCC) working group consisting of ten lead representatives from various departments and agencies worked together to find alternatives to incarceration for the mentally ill. The Sequential Intercept Mapping (SIM) process, involving county, city and treatment providers from over 25 organizations, was completed in November 2017. In December 2018 the CJCC was merged into the Community Corrections Partnership (CCP).

In 2017, the same lead agencies applied for Proposition 47 grant funding and created the misdemeanor Steps to Success (S2S) diversion program that applies the principles of restorative justice and trauma-informed care to provide wrap-around services for individuals who are unlikely to succeed without support due to their history of mental health issues and/or substance use disorders. With the creation of this program, most misdemeanor defendants suffering from mental illness became eligible for diversion. S2S commenced in 2018 and in August of that year the grant was modified expanding eligibility to include felonies when appropriate. S2S has accepted seven individuals with serious mental illness (SMI) eligible for Mental Health Court (MHC) in order to reserve spaces for SMI defendants that need the increased structure provided by MHC to thrive. S2S launched in the months prior to the creation of Mental Health Diversion (MHD) with the passage of AB 1810. The DSH permanent program will provide services to up to 10 clients at a time with intensive wraparound services that includes clinical services, housing and client supports.

Performance Measures included in this Agreement are as follows:
Performance Measures are not associated with this resolution for a budget amendment.
This is a revenue agreement therefore this agreement does not contain County performance measures.

County Counsel has approved the resolution for a budget amendment and the agreement as to form.

Not applicable to revenue agreements.