Title
a. Review the findings and recommendations of the 2023-2024 Monterey County Civil Grand Jury (CGJ) reports on the mental health crisis and the fentanyl crisis; and,
b. Order the Board’s responses to be filed with the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Review the findings and recommendations of the 2023-2024 Monterey County Civil Grand Jury Reports titled “Monterey County’s Response to Community Members Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis” and “Fentanyl: Our Youth in Crisis”; and,
b. Order the Board’s response to the Monterey County CGJ reports be filed with the Presiding Judge of the Superior Court.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
The 2023-2024 Monterey County Civil Grand Jury Reports titled “Monterey County’s Response to Community Members Experiencing a Mental Health Crisis” and “Fentanyl: Our Youth in Crisis” were respectively issued on April 5 and May 1, 2024. The Grand Jury requests responses from your Board to Findings F1-F5 and Recommendations R1-R5 to the mental health crisis report, and Findings F2 and Recommendations R2-R3 to the fentanyl crisis report, which are within the County’s scope of responsibility. California Penal Code, section 933(c) requires your Board respond to the Presiding Judge within 90 days.
Recommended responses are included in Exhibit A and Exhibit B for your Board’s consideration. Upon adoption by your Board, responses will be submitted to the Presiding Judge. Additionally, it should be noted that the Grand Jury requested responses from the Health Department and Sheriff’s Office on one or both reports, the response letters are included as Exhibit C and Exhibit D.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The County Administrative Office coordinated responses with the Health Department and Office of the County Counsel. The Sheriff’s Office response to the 2022-23 Monterey County Civil Grand Jury report titled “The Monterey County Coroner’s Office: A Matter of Life and Death” is attached for informational purposes. Board approval is not required for the Sheriff's Office response, as the office responds directly to the Civil Grand Jury pursuant to Penal Code section 933.
FINANCING:
There are no fiscal impacts to the General Fund with associated with this report.
Prepared by: Karina T. Bokanovich, Management Analyst III
Approved by: Nicholas E. Chiulos, Chief Assistant County Administrative Officer
Attachments:
Exhibit A - Board Response to 2023-2024 CGJ Report re: Mental Health Crisis
Exhibit B - Board Response to 2023-2024 CGJ Report re: Fentanyl Crisis
Exhibit C - Sheriff and Health responses related Mental Health Report
Exhibit D - Health response related Fentanyl Crisis Report
Exhibit E - CGJ Report re Mental Health Crisis
Exhibit F - CGJ Report re Fentanyl Health Crisis