PREPARED BY: PEGGY CHOU DATE OF MEETING: 05/06/2024
SUBJECT:
TITLE
CONSIDER RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF SAN PABLO AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO A THREE-YEAR INTERAGENCY AGREEMENT WITH CONTRA COSTA COUNTY DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH SERVICES FOR THE PROVISION OF MENTAL HEALTH EVALUATION TEAM (MHET) SERVICES BY THE SAN PABLO POLICE DEPARTMENT, AND AUTHORIZING ACCEPTANCE OF PAYMENT FROM THE COUNTY FOR THE PROVISION OF MHET SERVICES BY THE SAN PABLO POLICE DEPARTMENT, SUBJECT TO FUNDING AVAILABILITY
CEQA: This proposed action is not a project as defined by CEQA.
Label
CITY MANAGER RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
Adopt Resolution
Body
Compliance statements
Continue to Support Ongoing Implementation of Contra Costa County A3 Regional Community Mental Health Response Teams (I.E. Joint Mental Health and Law Enforcement Services) is an adopted policy item under the FY 2023-25 City Council Priority Workplan, effective May 1, 2023.
BACKGROUND
The Mental Health Evaluation Team (MHET) is a co-responding model which pairs local law enforcement agencies with mental health clinicians through the Contra Costa County (County) - Behavioral Health Services Division, to safely and effectively provide mental health services to individuals who have suffered from recent psychiatric crises.
The MHET program structure covers all regions of Contra Costa County (west, central, and east), with the partnership of host police departments who assign a dedicated MHET officer to partner with an assigned mental health clinician, to provide follow-up welfare checks, evaluations, consultations, and linkage to outpatient mental health services to a diverse population of individuals in which the following criteria is met:
• Multiple contacts with law enforcement
• Attempts of acts of physical aggression with law enforcement or others
• Domestic violence
• Firearm use or possession
• Multiple visits to Psychiatric Emergency Services
Notably, the MHET team does not provide in-crisis response however, the San Pablo Police Department has played an integral role in the ongoing development of the County’s Mobile Health Crisis Response Team and A3 program, ensuring our Anyone in our community can access critical crises resources Anywhere, and Anytime. Furthermore, beginning in 2023, SPPD’s Priority Oriented Policing (POP) Unit deployed a team of Behavioral Health Officers with specialized training, to respond and assist locally to individuals experiencing mental and/or behavioral health crises.
Commitment to the MHET partnership will require dedication of one San Pablo Police Officer to the MHET program, whose responsibilities will include:
• Review of MHET referrals with the assigned clinician to determine eligibility
• Collaboration with the clinician prior to performing welfare checks
• Development of safety plans with the clinician prior to Client visits
• Transportation for Clients for follow-up mental health service appointments, as appropriate, and
• Education for Clients, families, and the community about the MHET program’s role, duties, responsibilities, and available mental health resources.
The available budget from Contra Costa County - Behavioral Health Services Division is $13,673 per month for the remaining months of Fiscal Year (FY) 2023/2024 and $14,357 per month ($172,286 per year), beginning in FY 2024/25, for the provision of one full-time San Pablo police officer dedicated to the MHET program, which will be billed to the County on a monthly basis. Based on mutual interest, the Police Department and the County would like to enter a multi-year (three-year) contract for the provision of these services for our region, contingent upon continued availability of funds from the County and staffing availability.
On December 11, 2023, the San Pablo Police Department presented an MHET program overview to the Public Safety Standing Committee, who recommended the joint MHET agreement move forward for formal Council consideration.
The drafted multi-year agreement lists a March 1, 2024 start date therefore, the MHET program can deploy immediately for the remainder of FY24 following Council’s formal approval and full execution of the drafted agreement, and will be effective for three subsequent fiscal years beginning July 1, 2024.
The mission and goals of the Contra Costa County MHET program align with ongoing commitment of the San Pablo Police Department, to provide resources, referrals, and assistance to community members experiencing mental health crises. Therefore, staff is requesting formal consideration for the authorization of a three-year interagency agreement with the Contra Costa County Department of Health Services, and the acceptance of payment from the County for the provision of MHET services by the San Pablo Police Department.
FISCAL IMPACT
The City will receive from the County $13,673 per month for MHET Officer services for the remainder of FY23/24. Beginning FY 24/25, the City will be receiving $14,357.16 per month ($172,286 per fiscal year).
ATTACHMENTS
Att-A - Resolution
Att-B - Proposed Agreement