To: Board of County Commissioners
Through: Katherine Smith, Director, Community Resources
Prepared By:
prepared
Brad Kamby, Division Manager of Judicial Services, Community Resources
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presenter
Presenter: Katherine Smith, Director, Community Resources
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Subject:
title
2:15 PM *Approval to Apply for Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) and Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program
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Purpose and Request:
recommended action
The Community Resources Department is requesting that the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) approve applications for both the Justice Assistance Grant (JAG) and the Byrne State Crisis Intervention Program (BYRNE SCIP) grant. If approved, funds will cover the salaries for an additional year of 2 Temporary Grant Funded positions which are currently funded through ARPA. The JAG grant can be re-applied for to fund an additional year. If both grant applications are approved, the Department will accept the JAG funding only due to its comparative ease of implementation and ease of requesting a 2nd year of funding.
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Background and Discussion: In 2022, the Judicial Services Division received ARPA funds from the BOCC to expand the Pretrial Mental Health Program (PMHP) from 2 to 4 positions. These funds have enabled the program to expand its ability to serve the justice system by providing case management and coordinating wrap-around services for justice involved clients with behavioral health conditions. The ARPA funding is set to expire at the end of 2024.
Either grant, if approved and received, would provide additional funding for the 2 existing temporary grant funded positions through September 2025. The JAG is offered through the Bureau of Justice Assistance, Department of Justice. The JAG grant will fund 2 FTEs of the current operations of the PMHP.
The Byrne SCIP is a Department of Justice fund administered by the State Division of Criminal Justice, Department of Public Safety. Byrne SCIP programs must be connected to gun violence reduction. The funding will enable the PMHP to focus services on individuals who, in addition to being justice involved with a mental health disorder, also have a criminal charge related to possession or use of weapons. Secondly, Byrne SCIP will permit services to be extended to those who, even without a pending criminal charge, may be subject to Extreme Risk Protection Order proceedings, to remove firearms from a person in imminent danger to themselves or others, who may require treatment and other services.
Individuals with behavioral health conditions are at higher risk of involvement with the criminal justice system. Additionally, when these individuals are around weapons, they may be at a higher risk of danger to themselves or the community. This program will focus the efforts of an already highly successful program to those who may present this higher risk. As such, County residents and the broader community will derive additional benefit from the PMHP. The clients will continue to receive the outstanding services of the PMHP.
Fiscal Impact: There would be no fiscal impact other than an increase in grant funding for existing positions, if received.
Alternatives: The Board of County Commissioners could choose not to approve application for these grant funds. If this alternative is selected, the current PMHP will reduce back to 2 positions at the end of 2024 unless other funding is identified.
Alignment with Strategic Plan:
☒Be fiscally sustainable
☐Provide essential and mandated service
☒Be community focused
Staff Recommendation: Community Resources staff recommends applying for this funding opportunity to best meet the needs of our community.
Concurrence: Todd Weaver, Finance Department and Tiffanie Bleau, County Attorney’s Office