Item No.
TO: HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
FROM: OFFICE OF THE CITY MANAGER
BY: SCOTT LOUGHNER, ACTING CHIEF OF POLICE
DATE: MAY 14, 2024
SUBJECT: ACCEPTANCE OF A GRANT AWARD FROM HUMAN POTENTIAL, INC.
TO PROVIDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH MOBILE CRISIS AND NON-
CRISIS SERVICES
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
The City Council will consider accepting a grant award of $225,250 in funds from Human Potential Inc. to provide behavioral health mobile crisis and non-crisis services. This grant would supplement the Police Department’s MOU with the Los Angeles Department of Mental Health, providing overtime for licensed Mental Health Clinicians, in order to increase staffing with the department.
RECOMMENDATION
That the City Council:
1. Accept a grant award from Human Potential Inc. in the amount of $225,250 to provide behavioral health mobile crisis and non-crisis services; and
2. Increase the Fiscal Year 2023-2024 Budget by $225,250 to account for these revenues and accompanying expenses.
BACKGROUND
The Downey Police Department operates two Mental Evaluation Teams, each consisting of a Downey Police Mental Health Officer and a Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health Clinician. This collaborative approach between both law enforcement and mental health professionals has demonstrated enhanced effectiveness and efficiency in facilitating treatment for individuals experiencing mental health and/or substance use crises. The primary objective is to collaborate with the family, community, and treatment programs to develop a safety plan for the least restrictive treatment option or ensure the individual's safe transport to a medical facility.
The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health can only provide one clinician to the Downey Police Department for two weeks each month, and only during daytime business hours. To address this limitation, the Downey Police Department explored various grant opportunities to fund additional clinician hours. In December 2021, the
ACCEPT A GRANT AWARD FROM HUMAN POTENTIAL, INC. TO PROVIDE BEHAVIORAL HEALTH
MOBILE CRISIS AND NON-CRISIS SERVICES
MAY 14, 2024
PAGE 2
Police Department was awarded a grant in the amount of $409,656 from Advocates for Human Potential, Inc., funded by the State of California Department of Health Care Services to support additional hours of services by mental health clinicians on an overtime basis for the Downey Police Department's Mental Evaluation Team. The original grant period was from February 15, 2022, through December 31, 2023.
ANALYSIS
Advocates for Human Potential, Inc. has offered to extend this grant through March 31, 2025, providing additional funding of $225,250 for mental health clinician overtime. With this grant extension, the total value of the grant would reach $634,906 from its inception.
Acceptance of this grant extension would significantly increase the hours worked by Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health Clinicians with the Downey Police Department’s Mental Evaluation Teams, thereby enhancing the effectiveness and efficiency of the response in facilitating treatment for individuals experiencing mental health and/or substance use crises. This investment aligns with the ongoing commitment to providing comprehensive support and interventions for vulnerable populations within the community.
CITY COUNCIL PRIORITIES
Fiscal Responsibility
Quality of Life, Safety & Infrastructure
Public Engagement
FISCAL IMPACT
Approval of the recommended actions will result in an appropriation and estimated revenue increase in the amount of $225,250 to the Downey Police Department’s Fiscal Year 2023-2024 General Fund Budget revenue Account No. 19-3-5137 and expense Account No. 19-4-2119.
ATTACHMENT
Attachment A: Human Potential, Inc., Grant Award