Background
In April 2019, the County of Yolo (“County”) applied for a Community Services Infrastructure Grant ("CSIG") through the California Health Facilities Financing Authority (“CHFFA”) in the amount of $1,000,000 to develop the Yolo County Community Corrections Diversionary Housing Project (“Project”). In July 2019, the CHFFA awarded the County the full amount of $1,000,000 to implement the Project with a grant period beginning on July 25, 2019 and ending June 30, 2022. Subject to the final allocation letter sent to the County by CHFFA, the grant agreement would require the Project to be considered operational by October 31, 2021.
Project Details
The Project proposes to use grant funds to provide additional housing and expand access to mental health and substance use disorder treatment services to individuals with a mental health and/or substance use condition who are currently experiencing homelessness or who have a recent history of homelessness, and who are involved in the criminal justice system. This Project seeks to utilize existing diversion programs used by the County including Neighborhood Court, Mental Health Court and Proposition 47 Steps to Success. These programs incorporate the principles of restorative justice by focusing on repairing harm to victims, community and self. By offering housing opportunities for the targeted population, this Project can provide stable housing to enact appropriate treatment services on site. This Project supports the 2019-2022 CCP Strategic Plan.
The grant application proposed the County purchase two residential homes for the purposes of this grant. It is expected that the County would partner with Yolo County Housing (“YCH”) to search for appropriate properties, purchase properties and then renovate and furnish the properties. This process will be developed more fully in a master lease agreement between the County and YCH. While real property transactions are in process, the Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) shall develop agreements with service providers to implement treatment and onsite programming concurrently with occupancy by residents.
Four-Step Process
Once occupancy occurs, the Project will follow a four-step process to incorporate components of diversion, mental health and substance use disorder treatment, along with a range of supportive services to address the specific needs of individuals living homeless, while leveraging existing programs and funding where possible and appropriate.
- Diversion Eligibility: Individuals will be referred to the District Attorney’s (DA) office for eligibility determination. Referrals may come from any agency or person in contact with individuals living homeless, including homeless service providers, Probation, hospitals, local law enforcement agencies, defense counsel and the public. While the DA’s office will provide initial eligibility determination, appropriateness of potential diversion candidates will be a collaborative process between the DA’s office, Probation and the service provider for each program. Eligibility exclusions will be limited to the most severe offenses.
- Program Enrollment: Once initial eligibility is determined, individuals will be offered formal enrollment into an appropriate diversion program. Enrollment includes signing a basic participation agreement and outlining roles and responsibilities of the participant, the probation officer and the treatment team. Once enrolled, all services and supports will be made immediately available to the participant, with the agreement that active steps will be taken by both the participant and the team members to complete timely assessments and begin addressing identified needs of the participant. The corresponding assessments will vary for each enrolled participant depending on which diversion program they are enrolled in.
- Housing Placement: Enrolled participants in diversion programs who need housing will be assessed and then considered for referral into one of the two properties purchased through this grant program. Once a referral is made by the criminal justice partners, participants will be informed and notified that this housing placement is meant to be a transitional housing placement between 6 and 12 months. Participants will be required to follow the house rules established in collaboration with the treatment team and YCH, and failure to meet these rules or engage in treatment services will lead to the treatment team considering a participant’s expulsion from the house. However, individuals expelled from housing may continue in diversion and receive treatment, if appropriate.
- Program Goals and Objectives on the Path to Stability: Each diversion program’s participant and team will utilize the information gathered across the various assessments to develop goals and objectives specific to their program and the participant’s needs. Strategies differ depending on diversion program, but all of the programs will include a restorative justice process for eligible individuals. Furthermore, for participants in all three diversion programs who are living in the houses, the County will expand access to treatment services by having the treatment team establish a weekly schedule for in-home services, allowing for the participants to receive the care that they need in a safe and supportive environment. The treatment schedule will be developed according to the needs of the occupants, as well as the resources available from the treatment providers.
Project Budget
The Project budget is broken down by facility acquisition, renovation, furnishings/equipment, information technology and program startup/expansion costs. The following table provides this breakdown.
| Eligible Costs |
Amount |
| Facility Acquisition |
$ 800,000 |
| Renovation |
$ 75,000 |
| Furnishings and/or Equipment |
$ 75,000 |
| Information Technology |
$ 0 |
| Program Startup or Expansion Costs |
$ 50,000 |
| Total Grant Amount |
$1,000,000 |
The on-going assets management costs for this Project will be funded through the Community Corrections Partnership (CCP). A draft asset management budget is attached to this staff report which was developed by YCH similarly to the existing Intergovernmental Transfer (IGT) House asset management budget (Attachment C).
Grant Requirements
Reporting: The County is required under the grant agreement to submit a status report within 45 days following the completion of the periods ending on June 30 and December 31 of each year during the grant period, and upon CHFFA’s request.
Community Engagement: The County has conducted community engagement associated with this project through a survey conducted by Probation in February 2019 and a community service provider survey completed by HHSA and YCH. A third outreach strategy is planned following grant award. Once suitable properties are identified, YCH will lead an effort to educate the neighbors of the housing projects and provide examples of what to expect according to similar successful housing projects. This education will be accomplished by hosting a community meeting and providing educational materials on the process.
Outcome Metrics: Tracking outcomes associated with this Project include the following data:
- Number of participants referred directly from custody/Yolo County jail;
- The demographics of participants served;
- Number and demographics of participants who did complete treatment, and those who did not complete treatment and were returned to custody; and
- Monetized benefits of the projects (i.e., cost saving from enrollment in treatment as compared to being in jail)
This data shall be captured throughout the life of the grant in bi-annual reports and in a final report to CHFFA.
Useful Life of Assets: The grant requires that the County does not dispose of any real property assets ahead of the useful life of the assets, which has been determined by County Counsel to be 10 years. This determination was developed in coordination with the Department of Financial Services to adequately capture the effective life of an asset that would not require major capital investment under any grant requirements by CHFFA. |