CITY COUNCIL AGENDA REPORT
City of Anaheim
HOUSING & COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT
DEPARTMENT
DATE: NOVEMBER 19, 2024
FROM: HOUSING AND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT DEPARTMENT
AND CITY ATTORNEY’S OFFICE
SUBJECT: RATIFY THE SUBMISSION OF GRANT APPLICATIONS TO: 1) THE BOARD OF STATE AND COMMUNITY CORRECTIONS’
PROPOSITION 47 GRANT PROGRAM, AND 2) THE JUSTICE
AND MENTAL HEALTH COLLABORATION PROGRAM; AND
ACCEPT GRANT AWARDS IN THE AMOUNT OF $8,000,000 AND
$550,000, RESPECTIVELY, FOR THE EXPANSION OF THE
ANAHEIM COLLABORATIVE COURT EVALUATING
STRATEGIES AND SOLUTIONS PROGRAM
ATTACHMENT (Y/N): YES ITEM # 20
GOVERNMENT CODE § 84308 APPLIES: YES
RECOMMENDATION:
That the Anaheim City Council:
1. By Resolution, ratify the submission of the Proposition 47 grant application and related documents to the State of California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC); and
2. By Resolution, increase the FY 2024/25 revenue and expenditure budget for the Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) by $8,000,000, commensurate to the grant award; and
3. By Motion, ratify the submission of the Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program grant application and related documents to the Department of Justice;
4. By Motion, increase the FY 2024/25 revenue and expenditure budget for the Housing and Community Development Department by $550,000, commensurate to the grant award; and
5. By Motion, waive Council Policy 4.1 and authorize the HCD Director to enter into contracts, prepared and approved by the City Attorney’s Office in accordance with City rules, with the entities that were identified and collaborated in the grant application (Strength and Resilience Family Counseling, Mariposa Women and Family Center, JMH - Love Anaheim, Anaheim Community Hospital, Hope House Residential Treatment, the Center for Justice Innovation and the Public Defender’s Office) for procurement of services related to the Proposition 47 grant, to the extent applicable, for a one year term, with an option to renew for an additional three-year term contingent upon satisfactory performance and program outcomes; and Request to Ratify Grant Submissions and Award Acceptance November 19, 2024
6. Authorize the HCD Director, or her designee, to execute all agreements and other documents necessary to implement and administer the grant activities on behalf of the City, provided that the maximum compensation authority ($8,550,000) is not increased.
BACKGROUND:
The City of Anaheim has developed a comprehensive, compassionate approach to addressing homelessness through a system of care designed to support individuals at every stage of their journey from street to home. Key components of this approach include the Community Care Response Team (CCRT), which provides immediate outreach and connection to services; the Anaheim Emergency Shelter, which offers safe, temporary housing; and the Homeless Assistance Liaison Officers (HALO), who work closely with individuals experiencing homelessness to guide them toward resources.
Based on the significant work of all collaborative partners, there is an awareness of the intersection between homeless and the criminal justice system and the toll that repeat offenders take on both the system of care and the community at large. To address the issues of repeat offenders and improve community outcomes, the Anaheim City Attorney’s Office (CAO) Prosecution Division launched ACCESS (Anaheim Collaborative Court:
Evaluating Strategies and Solutions) in January 2023. ACCESS led by the CAO Prosecution Division in collaboration with the Orange County Superior Court and the Orange County Public Defender’s Office, focuses on misdemeanor offenders with acute drug addictions and mental health issues, most of whom are chronically homeless and have been resistant to services in the past. The program utilizes validated criminogenic risk-need assessments administered by a licensed clinician to create individualized diversion plans for participants. Individuals who agree to participate in the program must actively work with a case worker to fully engage in their treatment plans, which may include medical and/or psychosocial needs, drug rehabilitation, employment and housing. The goal of the program is to reduce or possibly eliminate repeat offenses by providing the services necessary for participants to fully reintegrate into the community, thus, keeping people from living in our public spaces, reducing the burden on city resources and improving the community overall.
ACCESS was initially launched as a proof-of-concept. The CAO, HCD and the Police Department worked collaboratively to leverage existing homelessness service contracts and resources to support the effort. The initial proof of concept was projected to serve approximately fifty (50) individuals. Between January 1, 2023, and November 1, 2024, three hundred and two (302) defendants facing misdemeanor charges in Anaheim voluntarily consented to an assessment through ACCESS. As of November 1, 2024, one hundred forty-five (145) individuals are actively engaged in Court-ordered treatment plans.
Twenty-three (23) individuals have earned case dismissals by graduating from the program. Ninety-three (93) individuals have either declined or been determined unsuitable for the program. Warrants have been issued for forty-one (41) defendants who failed to comply with the terms of their diversion.
Request to Ratify Grant Submissions and Award Acceptance November 19, 2024
The ACCESS program is now entering its third year. The approach used to address justice- involved individuals, with a firm balance of services and consequences, is viewed as a promising model not only for Anaheim but regionally, as demonstrated by these successful grant applications. Staff recommends ratification of the grant applications and acceptance of the grant funds, as these new resources are essential to sustain and expand the program's impact.
DISCUSSION:
Due to exponentially increasing program demand and in an effort to fund ACCESS to facilitate an independent program evaluation, in May and June 2024, the City Attorney’s Prosecution Division worked closely with Housing and Community Development on two grant applications.
The first application, submitted in May 2024, was in response to a federal grant solicitation by the Department of Justice, Office of Justice (DOJ) Programs, Bureau of Justice Assistance entitled Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program. The solicitation was designed to fund programs that support cross-system collaboration to improve public safety responses and outcomes for individuals with mental health disorders (MHDs) or co- occurring mental health and substance use disorders. In September 2024, the City was notified that its proposal had been selected for a $550,000 award. HCD intends support the CAO by releasing Requests for Proposals to procure services through this grant.
In June 2024, HCD, in partnership with the CAO, responded to a Request for Proposal released by the BSCC for the Proposition 47: Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Act grant program. This was the 4th cohort solicitation for Proposition 47 funding, and the stated purpose was to “fund mental health services, substance use disorder treatment, and diversion programs for people in the criminal justice system.” To be eligible, public agencies were required to apply as the grant lead in partnership with community-based organizations. The grant required, at minimum, a pass-through of at least 50% of awarded funds to community-based organizations to demonstrate a shared partnership in community engagement and economic equity. Extra scoring points were awarded for pass- through in excess of 70%. The following partners collaborated on the RFP submission:
Strength and Resilience Family Counseling, Mariposa Women and Family Center, JMH - Love Anaheim, Anaheim Community Hospital, Hope House Residential Treatment, the Center for Justice Innovation and the Public Defender’s Office. In September 2024, the City was notified that the grant proposal had been awarded $8,000,000 in grant funding, the maximum award available through the solicitation.
Staff recommends waiving Council Policy 4.1, to the extent it applies, so that the City may enter contracts with service providers that have been key to the early successes of the ACCESS program, were essential collaborators in the development of the Proposition 47 funding application, and were specifically identified as partners in that grant application. If approved, HCD will enter into one-year agreements with the Community Based Organizations (CBOs) identified above, with an option to renew for additional three-year terms contingent upon satisfactory performance and program outcomes. All contracts will be prepared and approved by the CAO in accordance with City rules, will require the CBOs to comply with all grant requirements, and will be structured to allow for evaluation Request to Ratify Grant Submissions and Award Acceptance November 19, 2024
of key performance indicators on an ongoing basis. In addition, the grant itself has strict reporting and oversight obligations that will ensure that performance indicators are being met.
The ACCESS program and the partnerships with the CBOs align with the City’s Strategic Plan Goal B: Enhance Livability, Strategy 9: Maintain and expand services to address homelessness and its impacts.
IMPACT ON BUDGET:
Increase the Housing and Community Development Department FY2024/25 revenue and expenditure budget by $8,550,000, commensurate to the grant awards. There is no impact on the City’s general fund.
Respectfully submitted, Concurred by,
Grace Ruiz-Stepter Robert Fabela
Housing and Community City Attorney
Development Director
Attachment:
1. Resolution Ratifying Proposition 47 Grant Application and accepting grant funds