Mentally Ill Offender Crime Reduction Grant (MIO)

MIO Executive Strategy Committee

Quarterly Meeting

Minutes

Wednesday, February 21, 2001

12:00 - 1:00 P.M.

Sheriff's Training Unit, 555 - 7^th Street, Room 200

COMMITTEE MEMBERS PRESENT:

Ron Albers

Tanya Aly

Naheed Bashir

Tami Barradas

Cynthia A. Caporizzo

Sr. Dep. Collins

David Fariello Art Faro

Alex Georgakopoulos Carolina Guzman

Lee Hewitt

William Leong

Jean M. Mariani

Lorena Marquez

Mike Reiter

Alissa Riker

Dee Dee Rodriguez

Keith Vines

I. MIO Project

· Mental Health Court Visits

The ESC members researched the feasibility and desirability of a mental health court in San Francisco based on a recommendation from the first Local Plan. In January 2001, a small group of ESC members made site visits to mental health courts in San Bernardino and Santa Barbara. The site visits gave the group a good sense on how these model programs operate. However, because of the lower functioning clients San Francisco serves, they felt a mental health court for San Francisco would not be feasible. Instead, the group recommended a higher priority program involving training criminal justice agency staff to more successfully work with mentally ill offenders in their court interactions, rather than establishing a formal mental health court at this time.

· Updated Local Plan

Consultant Naheed Bashir distributed a draft of the updated local plan. She asked that members review the local plan for accuracy. Any changes, please notify her by Monday, February 26, 2001.

Naheed Bashir

E-mail: bashir@ossesso.com

Tel: (415) 401-8009

Fax: (415) 401-8007

· New MIO Proposal

Jean Mariani and Jo Robinson will be writing the proposal. The deadline for the grant application is Thursday, March 1, 2001.

Jean outlined the proposal as follows:

Considering the legislative mandate, the current MIO program has not enabled us to address a large number of individuals who have a serious mental illness and are frequently in and out of jail. Their stay in jail is usually short in duration, which makes it impossible to engage them in mental health treatment, let alone to refer them to appropriate community-based treatment. Many of these individuals are released from jail through Sheriff's programs aimed at reducing jail overcrowding, while remaining in the constructive custody of the Sheriff.

The proposed program, "Connections," would integrate the Sheriff's jail alternative programs with an extensive array of services that address this population's stabilization and mental health needs. Adding mental health professionals to the Sheriff's programs, funding dedicated staff for vocational services and benefits counseling, and leasing rooms in supportive hotels will accomplish such objectives.

"Connections" will involve the Center on Juvenile & Criminal Justice (CJCJ), San Francisco Pretrial Diversion (Pretrial), San Francisco "O.R." Project, Progress Foundation, and possibly Community Vocational Enterprises (CVE), and Lutheran Social Services (LSS). The Sheriff's Department, Jail Psychiatric Services (JPS), Jail Aftercare Services (JAS) and Community Mental Health Services will continue to provide daily collaboration to the program.

"Connections"

· Will serve approximately 150 mentally ill offenders during the three-year span of grant;

· The program participants will be required to meet the criteria for acceptance in the Sheriff's release programs and have a diagnosis of a major mental illness;

· Will include housing and residential services;

· Case management services;

· Survival needs assistance - Benefits Advocacy, Money Management, Employment & Vocational Services;

· Connect the client to community-based treatment programs; and

· Provide ongoing education to community providers.

Any additional ideas or comments regarding the proposal, please contact Jean Mariani at (415) 554-7241 or fax them to (415) 554-7050 by Monday, February 26, 2001.

II. Public Comment

None

Note: Agendas and Minutes are posted on the Sheriff's web site at www.ci.sf.ca.us/sheriff/mio/index.htm