Title
a. Authorize the Chair of the Board to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Superior Court of California, County of Monterey for participation of four County agencies in the Driving Under the Influence (DUI) grant for the period October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016; and
b. Authorize the Chair to sign Amendments to the MOU as required by the grant in case of extension.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Authorize the Chair of the Board to sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Superior Court of California, County of Monterey for participation of four County agencies in the Driving Under the Influence (DUI) grant for the period October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016; and
b. Authorize the Chair to sign Amendments to the MOU as required by the grant in case of extension.
SUMMARY:
The Superior Court of California, County of Monterey has been awarded a grant in the amount of $350,000 from the State’s Office of Traffic Safety (OTS) through the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration for the period October 1, 2015 to September 30, 2016 to initiate an evidence-based DUI Court program.
The proposed MOU identifies roles and responsibilities between the Court and the County participating partners: Probation, District Attorney, Public Defender and Health Department-Behavioral Health Bureau.
DISCUSSION:
The DUI Court program focuses on high-risk multiple DUI offenders, holding them accountable for their actions and instituting a protocol to facilitate lasting behavioral changes, which include regular testing for substance use, participation in self-help meetings or court approved treatment programs, and close supervision by Probation and Behavioral Health staff and other service providers.
The DUI Court program will address the challenge of repeat-offense drunk drivers through a program based on the Drug Court model. The target population has been identified as clients convicted of two or more DUIs who have a chemical addiction, but are not charged as felons. The Court’s first priority is to provide chemically addicted offenders with treatment and supervision.
The Grant will fund the salary and benefits for 1.00 FTE Probation Officer II in Probation to provide supervision and monitoring, as well as testing supplies, and 1.00 FTE Psychiatric Social Worker II, as well as supplies at the Health Department-Behavioral Health Bureau for assessments, referrals and case management. Both Probation and Health will utilize existing positions that lost other grant funding and existing personnel who will be reassigned to the DUI Court activities, and thus will remain under the current appropriation limits.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Court’s application for the OTS Grant was developed in consultation with the involved County agencies. The District Attorney, Public Defender, the Health Director and the Chief of Probation have all reviewed the MOU and recommend its approval. County Counsel has approved the MOU as for legal form.
FINANCING:
Two County agencies, Probation and Health, have been allocated a total of $339,130 for the one-year grant period, specifically: $194,280 to Probation and $144,850 to Health-Behavioral Health Bureau. The services of the Public Defender and Deputy District Attorneys are not reimbursable under the OTS Grant. There is no additional County General Fund Contribution (GFC) associated with the current recommended action.
Prepared by: Marisa Fiori, Management Analyst III, ext. 1100
Approved by: Marcia Parsons, Chief Probation Officer, ext. 3913
Approved by: Dean Flippo, District Attorney, ext. 5470
Approved by: James Egar, Public Defender, ext. 3552
Approved by: Ray Bullick, Health Director, ext. 4526
Attachments:
DUI Grant MOU