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(DISCUSSION) Reports back from working sub-groups.
The discussion took on a general back and forth, rather than via specific workgroup reports, with the Chief reporting various things:
She had a meeting with Comm Hale yesterday to discuss the situation with Title 4e. After much inspection, they concluded that they had “max’ed” out on reimbursements that were possible, given the current staffing. If any more is to come, they would have to re classify about 10 staff to perform functions that are now performed by CBOs (but that could be reimbursed if departmental staff were doing them). They did not have an immediately employable plan to do this.
The Chief offered another topic they looked at, that envisioned the rental of space in the new JH for other county commitments that would normally go to the CYA (if CYA closes facilities), but this plan, as Comm Queen pointed out, would only be possible once the facility is completed (in late 2005) and would not help solve the immediate need for $600k projected this next FY. When Comm Queen asked if they had a projection of revenue possible from such usage, the Chief said she’d have to refer to M. Lui for that. M. Lui did not respond.
Comm Bonilla also expressed his concern that there is no concrete plan right now to fill the $600K hole in the budget this next year.
The Chief said that renting beds to other jurisdiction seems to be a small possibility; they not needing that service. She said she couldn’t report the outcome from the finance workgroup, but agreed that that proposal did not reflect hard cash, and the Mayor’s office recognizes that too.
Comm Bonilla asked how much she projected would be gained from Title 4e and how long it would take to get there. The Chief didn’t have any idea. (“We aren’t there yet.”) Comm Bonilla repeated his concern and said that it then might have to go back to the Finance Committee of the Commission to find a plug to this deficit; meaning cuts elsewhere. The Chief said that the budget now belongs to the Mayor’s office, which will make changes as they see fit. Now the Dept is awaiting their response.
Comm Queen expressed his concern with the state of the physical facilities at LCRS. He didn’t think this was favorable to renting space to other counties.
Comm Ricci commented that she thought in previous reports from D. Sanders that the projected amount of revenue from beds would be somewhere in the mid 2000s. The Chief didn’t recall.
Comm Ricci passed out a copy of the original letter from Comm Hale, stating what the role of the Ad Hoc Committee was to be.
Comm Queen asked whether any other counties had been contacted and asked about the potential of committing youth to LCRS. The Chief demurred.
Comm Ricci asked about the exploration D. Sanders did on Fout Springs. The Chief deferred to D. Sanders. He reported that they did visit and got information about how they work, what they offered and what it cost. He mentioned the idea of a joint venture with them, to take more of the mental health challenged youth that they couldn’t take. He said all this information was turned over to the Chief, but he did not know what the status was now.
The Chief said she would get the entire package of information about Fout Springs, to the commissioners.
She said that when she spoke to Bay Area chiefs about 3 months ago, they didn’t have a need to contract beds from our dept.
Comm Queen repeated his concern that it didn’t appear that the Dept, faced with the need to come up with the $66K, through bed rental, had taken aggressive steps to formally promote that to the surrounding counties.
T. Mtambuzi commented that in the finance workgroup, there were 3 proposals, one of which was bed rental. There has not been a decision on which to go forward on.
D. Sanders said he had returned with the Fout Springs info and was ready to contact other counties, to “advertise” our ranch, but never got the okay to move forward with this.
L Holmes said it would be useful to have a “tracking document” ---a check list--- which would list all the actions and deadlines being pursued, so that we could keep an eye on the progress of each step.
The Chief will have the staff make the calls to the other counties about potential bed rental.
Comm Queen asked how far along this “packaging” of the ranch had come, and also if there was a ready assessment of the needs to bring the ranch up to “modern times”. is there a cost analysis? No.
D. Sanders said they have looked at what they have, but his concerns are the vocational and aftercare program.
The Chief said that she convened a meeting on Thursday with all the people involved, to look at the holes in the program, and to additions she wanted to make to the programs.
Comm Queen asked about the comprehensive plan of two years ago and the recommendations it contained. It didn’t appear they had been implemented. The Chief said that it had been modified, because the population was down. She said the one remaining problem was vocational; sustaining vocational programs at the ranch. She said she will be meeting with Dean Hunnicutt of the Community College to further explore vocational.
LJ Simpson
L.Holmes said the ’97-’98 aftercare program was successful. Case managers tied to the community, followed up with the youngsters. This is what makes it successful. It is critical to have it again.
Comm Bonilla thought all the ideas were good but probably these should be referred to the Commission’s Programs and Finance committees to follow up and develop. But the goal at hand is to meet the needs of the upcoming FY budget need of filling the $600K gap.
The Chief said the challenge is the funds are not there. At every juncture they are moving backward and not forward.
Comm Ricci commented that the bottom line is money. She agreed that this issue should be referred back to Programs and Finance to evaluate the way direct services are being provided, the scope of work of the programs, and how the funds are being utilized. There are a number of programs receiving funding which are not direct services, or duplicative services, or not serving a large number of youth. Given that there are no hard dollars looking at the ranch, we need to scrutinize other spending to see if we are spending money wisely. Comm Queen asked if this was a formal recommendation. She said yes.
T. Mtambuzi stated that the 3 options proposed offer no possibility of funds this year, and of them the only one with faint possibility might be the bed rental, but even this would be slim. He said that they should come up with other areas from which funds could be drawn.
Elizabeth Siggins stated that she learned that Oregon has found a way to get their services paid through the EPSDT funds. Comm Queen asked Siggins to follow up on that. He further said that he was disappointed that the Dept did not aggressively pursue the plan to rent out beds He asked if the Dept of Human Services, and Public Health weren’t willing to put some resources down at LCRS in the form of counselors or other staff? The Chief said that Sai Ling Chan said that it was not eligible for funds through this program. Comm Queen said that he would go back with them (DHS/PDPH) to explore this further.
Comm Ricci recommended setting up a timeline for obtaining all the necessary information in order to be able to move forward with concrete plans. Comm Queen asked how long it would take to get a report on the potential of other counties renting beds. D. Sanders said by next week. Comm Queen said he would get a report back from DPH/DHS regarding the EPSDT potential for revenues, and also get a sense from that group that was very concerned with the physical structure of the ranch, how fast they can move on addressing it.
T. Mtambuzi said that it is not an issue with the Dept of Public Health, but a court issue.
L.Jackson Simpson mentioned AB 2019 which is relevant to future funding of services to youth in detention.
Comm Ricci stated that physical education is a very important aspect of the services at the ranch and would like to see the facilities repaired so they can be used. There are many things which need to be brought up in condition and she would like information on the estimates costs for each project.
Comm Queen again questioned why many of the recommendations from the comprehensive plan were never initiated.
a. finance (nothing significant to add)
b. school/vocational (nothing significant to add)
c. therapeutic/life skills (nothing significant to add)
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