Title
Bureau of Justice Assistance Connect and Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Response Grant (Ordinance S-50863)
Description
Request to authorize the City Manager, or his designee, to allow the Police Department to retroactively apply for, accept, and enter into an agreement with the Bureau of Justice Assistance Connect and Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Response Grant. The grant amount is not to exceed $550,000.
Report
Summary
The Bureau of Justice Assistance Connect and Protect: Law Enforcement Behavioral Health Response Grant is specifically designed to support law enforcement and behavioral health collaboration to improve public health and public safety responses and outcomes for individuals with mental health disorders or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders. Funding will be used to develop new or enhance an existing law enforcement-behavioral health response to people with mental health disorders or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders who come into contact with law enforcement.
This proposed project would be a partnership between Police, 911 Telecommunications, Office of Homeless Solutions, the Fire Department Community Assistance Program (CAP), MercyCare, and La Frontera EMPACT. It would entail developing a process to better identify candidates in need of outreach and follow-up, a screening process to ensure safety of civilian outreach personnel, an improved process for making the referral, a method for tracking referrals, training staff on any process changes, tracking outcomes in a way that is accessible across departments, and a system of reporting results. The first year of this grant is reserved for planning and training. The Police Department will work with MercyCare, CAP, and EMPACT to provide outreach and follow up services.
The grant application was due on May 6, 2024. If authorization is not approved, the Police Department will rescind application.
Contract Term
The project period is for three years and will begin on Oct. 1, 2024.
Financial Impact
For the first and second years, a 20 percent match is required and for third year, a 40 percent match is required. Personnel cost would be used for the required match for each year, as this program currently uses staff time to run. This is currently available in the Police Department's budget.
Department
Responsible Department
This item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Lori Bays, Deputy City Manager Gina Montes, the Fire and Police departments, and the Office of Homeless Solutions.