Agenda

Back to Calendar Return

Consent-Health & Human Services # 15.

Board of Supervisors

Adult & Aging

Meeting Date:	10/23/2018
Brief Title: County Jail Involuntary Medication Resolution
From:	Karen Larsen, Director, Health and Human Service Agency
Staff Contact:	Sandra Sigrist, Adult and Aging Branch Director, Health and Human Services Agency, x8794
Supervisorial District Impact:

Subject

Adopt resolution designating the Yolo County jail as a facility authorized to provide medically approved medication to defendants found to be mentally incompetent and unable to provide informed consent due to a mental disorder pursuant to Penal Code section 1367 et seq. (No general fund impact) (Larsen)

Recommended Action

Strategic Plan Goal(s)

Thriving Residents
Safe Communities

Reason for Recommended Action/Background

Over the past several years, the Department of State Hospitals (DSH) has seen an increase in referrals for felony clients found incompetent to stand trial pursuant to Penal Code 1367. This increase in referrals has led to a shortage in available beds to appropriately treat these individuals in a timely fashion, often causing delays for placement into DSH designated beds which results in clients remaining in custody for longer period of time. Some of these clients refuse medication while in custody causing further deterioration and complication of symptoms that in turn leads to longer DSH stays, and a more complex treatment need in the long run. While DSH has mechanisms in place for involuntary medication, currently Yolo County and its’ partners have no such mechanisms or procedures to provide involuntary medication while clients remain in custody.

For the past year, representatives from Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency, the Yolo County Sheriff Department, Yolo County District Attorney’s Office, Yolo County Public Defender’s Office, California Forensic Medical Group (CFMG), County Counsel, and members of Yolo County Superior Court have been holding meetings to discuss a variety of options to improve the care of these clients and shorten the timeline for their competency restoration, as well as, minimize impact on the clients and the various systems of care they interact with. Out of those meetings and discussions came the recommendation that Yolo County pursue involuntary medication for felony, incompetent to stand trial clients, who remain incarcerated awaiting placement into a DSH bed.

Various partners reached out to gather resources, including policies and procedures for both Sheriff Department custody staff and CFMG personnel, to determine how best to implement involuntary medication in custody. The departments and partners involved have created Yolo County specific policies and procedures to ensure proper implementation and compliance with necessary regulations. By approving the recommended actions in this staff report, the Board is authorizing Yolo County departments and CFMG to begin implementing this practice.

Collaborations (including Board advisory groups and external partner agencies)

Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency

Yolo County Sheriff Department

Yolo County Superior Court

Yolo County District Attorney

Yolo County Public Defender

Yolo County County Counsel

California Forensic Medical Group

Fiscal Impact

Fiscal Impact (Expenditure)
No Fiscal Impact
Total cost of recommended action:		$
Amount budgeted for expenditure:		$
Additional expenditure authority needed:		$
On-going commitment (annual cost):	$

Source of Funds for this Expenditure

Attachments
Att. A. Resolution

Form Review

Inbox	Reviewed By	Date
County Counsel	Hope Welton	10/16/2018 09:47 AM
Form Started By: tdickinsonb		Started On: 09/19/2018 09:24 AM
Final Approval Date: 10/16/2018