City Council
February 1, 2022
AGENDA REPORT
TO: Edward D. Reiskin FROM: Reginald D. Freeman
City Administrator Chief, Oakland Fire Dept
SUBJECT: Agreement Between State of CA and
MACRO Program
DATE: December 27, 2021
City Administrator Approval Date: Jan 20, 2022
RECOMMENDATION
Staff Recommends The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing the City Administrator To:1) Enter Into An Agreement with the State Of California Natural Resource Agency; And 2) Accept And Re-Appropriate A Ten Million Dollar ($10,000,000.00) State Budget Act of 2021 Funding Allocation for Oakland's Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland (“MACRO”) Program To Allow Oakland To Provide A Strong Program Of Civilian Crisis Responders.
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
On March 2, 2021, City Council directed the City Administrator to explore options for expediting the implementation of the 18-month pilot phase of the Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland (MACRO) program.
This report provides the City Council and the public with information specific to a proposed agreement between the City of Oakland and the State of California Natural Resources Agency that would allow the City to accept and re-appropriate a $10,000,000 grant to be allocated to the MACRO program.
BACKGROUND / LEGISLATIVE HISTORY
In 2019, the Oakland City Council allocated $40,000 to research the feasibility of a Crisis Assistance Helping Out On The Streets (CAHOOTS)-like program in Oakland. The CAHOOTS model operating in Eugene-Springfield Metro Area, Oregon is widely recognized as a non-law enforcement mobile crisis intervention that has seen significant success since its inception.
With the support of the Urban Strategies Council, several stakeholder groups and community members including people in Oakland’s most impacted communities, engaged in nine months of analysis to determine the best pathway forward. This work resulted in a recommendation for a pilot program in two geographic areas of Oakland
The City of Oakland initially sought community-based organizations to engage in planning and implementation of an 18-month pilot of the MACRO program to serve as a community response program for non-violent 911 calls. The goal is to reduce responses by police, resulting in fewer
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Agreement Between State of CA and MACRO Program Date: December 27, 2021 Page 2
City Council
February 1, 2022
arrests and negative interactions, and increased access to community-based services and resources for impacted individuals and families, and most especially for Black, Indigenous, People of Color (BIPOC).
However, following a competitive bidding process and a staff recommendation to the City Council that was requested for scheduling and approval at the January 19, 2021 City Council meeting, the City Council took actions that changed the course of the pilot. In turn, the City Council made the determination during the March 2, 2021 City Council meeting that the City should house the pilot program within the Fire Department and deliver the pilot via City staff, instead of a community-based provider, as the community-driven report commissioned by the Council intended.
On March 2, 2021, the City Council authorized and directed the City Administrator to expedite the one-year pilot phase of the MACRO program.
Governor Gavin Newsom approved the Budget Act of 2021. The State Budget includes $10 Million for Oakland's Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland (“MACRO”) program to allow Oakland to provide a strong program of civilian crisis responders.
ANALYSIS AND POLICY ALTERNATIVES
This Funding is critical to the successful launch and implementation of the MACRO program in Oakland and directly aligns with the citywide priority of advancing holistic community safety.
Meanwhile, the grant agreement funds cannot not be disbursed until there is a fully executed Agreement between the California Natural Resources Agency (Agency) and the City of Oakland. Expenditures made prior to the effective date of the appropriation will not be reimbursed.
The funding is critical to the launch and continued operation of the MACRO program through the pilot period and beyond. The funding will allow the MACRO program to address much needed start-up expenditures including:
• Work Location/Facilities - Trailer procurement for stationary office, showers, carport for vehicle storage The Headquarters for the MACRO program. The facility, made up of 3 trailer that will contain office space, meeting areas, a crew respite areas and bathroom and shower areas. The facility will also contain a parking car port to store MACRO vehicles.
• Office needs (furniture, phones, etc.) MACRO administration and management will work out of headquarter facilities. They will require furniture [chairs, desks & tables], telecommunications, computers, printers, projector & screen. • ESO software data input: call/incident recording Call and incident recording for incoming complaint calls and outgoing dispatch calls. For quality control, training, and data collection.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Agreement Between State of CA and MACRO Program Date: December 27, 2021 Page 3
City Council
February 1, 2022
• Julota Community Information Platform: Aggregate data across the continuum of care from various local housing shelters, food banks, substance abuse beds, judicial system personnel, public safety, and case management personnel. This allows for private information to be safely recorded, kept, and accessed by necessary stakeholders. This will also allow for transparent data reporting to the public on program efficacy. • MACRO crew & team training (30-40 staff): MACRO administration and crew members must complete a thorough training that addresses multiple subjects relevant to their expected duties. The training aims to partner with local resources, experts, and to include community input. Much of the academy will take place before crews go into the field and will include periodic ongoing educational requirements. Some subject matter includes cultural competency of marginalized populations, community centered responses, trauma-informed care, identifying sex trafficking and signs of suicide, crisis intervention, de-escalation, victim empowerment, common signs of mental illness, harm reduction, substance abuse, city and county resources, self-care, compassion fatigue, consent and setting boundaries, and ethics.
• Four permanent crew vehicles and four rental vans (12-month rental) The MACRO program is responding to a need in the Oakland community that has existed for years.
Now that the legislation has been approved, the appropriate vehicles will not be prepared in time for the March 2022 program launch. Therefore, MACRO will be renting vehicles to respond to the community needs once the crews have completed training at the beginning of March 2022. Permanent vehicles should be ready in the later in the year
• Salaries for MACRO Crew and administration to reflect the proposed growth of the program and staffing needs beyond the pilot phase (50-60 staff).
FISCAL IMPACT
The $10,000,000 grant funding will go into the City of Oakland General Fund where it will be disbursed to the MACRO program.
PUBLIC OUTREACH / INTEREST
The Fire Department and MACRO Program leadership conduct regular briefings will elected and city leaders, upon request. Additionally, a weekly update email on the status of the program is sent to approximately 75 local stakeholders who have been involved in shaping the initiative.
COORDINATION
The Fire Department coordinated with the Budget Bureau and the Oakland City Attorney’s Office in the completion of this report.
SUSTAINABLE OPPORTUNITIES
Economic: There are now economic impacts related approval of this resolution.
Edward D. Reiskin, City Administrator
Subject: Agreement Between State of CA and MACRO Program Date: December 27, 2021 Page 4
City Council
February 1, 2022
Environmental: There are now environmental impacts related to this report.
Race & Equity: The ongoing coordination to implement the MACRO program will directly support the following objectives related to race and equity:
• Decreased negative outcomes from law enforcement response to nonviolent 911 emergency calls, especially among Black, Indigenous and People of Color (BIPOC); • Decreased criminal justice system involvement for people in crisis, especially among Black, Indigenous, People of Color;
• Increased connections to community-based services for people in crisis, especially among Black, Indigenous, and People of Color;
• Redirection of MACRO-identified 911 calls to an alternative community response system; • Reduced Oakland Police expenses and call volume related to 911 nonviolent calls involving people with mental health, substance use, and unsheltered individuals.
ACTION REQUESTED OF THE CITY COUNCIL
Staff Recommends The City Council Adopt A Resolution Authorizing the City Administrator To:
1) Enter Into An Agreement with the State Of California Natural Resource Agency; And 2) Accept And Re-Appropriate A Ten Million Dollar ($10,000,000.00) State Budget Act of 2021 Funding Allocation for Oakland's Mobile Assistance Community Responders of Oakland (“MACRO”) Program To Allow Oakland To Provide A Strong Program Of Civilian Crisis Responders.
Respectfully submitted,
Reginald D. Freeman
Chief, Fire Department