HomeMy WebLinkAbout2009-051 CWCMH Behavioral Health Diversion Program; Budget Amendment and Appropriations ORDINANCE NO 2009 -51
AN ORDINANCE amending the 2009 budget for the City of Yakima; and making
appropriations of $66,021 within the 000 - General Fund to provide
for a behavioral health diversion program operated by Central
Washington Comprehensive Mental Health.
WHEREAS, the amount of $66,021 must be appropriated within the 000 — General Fund
for expenditure during 2009 to provide for the Professional Services Agreement to conduct a
behavioral health diversion program operated by Central Washington Comprehensive Mental
Health (CWCMH)
WHEREAS, at the time of the adoption of the 2009 budget it could not reasonably have
been foreseen that the appropriation provided for by this ordinance would be required, and the
City Council declares that an emergency exists of the type contemplated by RCW 35 33 091
and that it is in the best interests of the City to make the appropriation herein provided, now,
therefore,
BE IT ORDAINED BY THE CITY OF YAKIMA.
Section 1 The amount of $66,021 is hereby appropriated from the Unappropriated
Fund Balance in the 000 - General Fund Account 000 - 095 -411- 0000 - 562.29 -410 titled CWCMH
Professional Services as a 2009 appropriation to provide for a behavioral health diversion
program.
Section 2: This ordinance is one making an appropriation and shall take effect
immediately upon its passage, approval and publication as provided by law and by the City
Charter
PASSED BY THE CITY COUNCIL, signed and app • - • this 3` day of November, 2009
Aff '
David • er, Mayor
ATTEST
City CI - rk
First Reading: October 20, 2009
Publication Date: November 6, 2009
Effective Date. November 6, 2009
Cje ORD NO 2009 -51 CWCMH Diversion Program Approp doc 11/4/2009
, ,.
III BUSINESS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
YAKIMA, WASHINGTON
AGENDA STATEMENT
Item No , i
For Meeting of November 3, 2009
ITEM TITLE. Consideration of legislation regarding a Behavioral Health Diversion Program
A. A Resolution authorizing and directing the City Manager of the City of Yakima to
execute an Agreement with Central Washington Comprehensive Mental Health
(CWCMH), whereby the City of Yakima agrees to cost -share with Yakima County to
fund the CWCMH Behavioral Health Diversion Program for a six month period
B An Ordinance amending the 2009 budget and making an appropriation in the 000 -
General Fund to provide for a behavioral health diversion program operated by Central
Washington Comprehensive Mental Health
SUBMITTED BY Chief Sam Granato, Yakima Police Department
Cynthia Martinez, Senior Assistant City Attorney
CONTACT PERSON/TELEPHONE. Cynthia Martinez, 575 -6033
SUMMARY EXPLANATION A couple of years ago, Central Washington Comprehensive
Mental Health (CWCMH) received a grant to create and implement a Behavioral Health
Diversion Program. The program is now fully operational and provides a location to .serve as a
• crisis stabilization unit and clinical staff to triage, assess and treat individuals referred for
mental illness and co- occurring substance abuse CWCMH staff also complete substance
abuse assessments and as applicable refer individuals participating in the program for services
as appropriate. These services may include, but are not limited to, outpatient mental health
services, crisis residential services, dual- diagnosis treatment, chemical dependency services,
and inpatient dual diagnosis treatment.
Continued on the next page:
Resolution X Ordinance X Other(Specify)
Contract X Mail to (name and address) Central Wash. Comprehensive Mental Health
PO Box 959, Yakima, WA 98907 -0959 Phone
Funding Source General Fund Reserves - $132,041 for a 6 month pilot program
APPROVED FOR SUBMITTAL. ���� - 1
City Manager
STAFF RECOMMENDATION A. Adopt Resolution
B Read the attached Ordinance by title only at the October 20, 2009 meeting Pass ordinance after
second reading at the November 3, 2009 Council Meeting
BOARD /COMMISSION RECOMMENDATION The Yakima City Council Public Safety Committee
unanimously approved this item.
COUNCIL ACTION
• A. Resolution adopted - R- 2009 -143
B
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Continued from the first page
The City benefits from the Behavioral Health Diversion program because it allows an officer
to take an individual to the crisis stabilization unit, in lieu of jail, for assessment and
treatment when an officer has reasonable cause to believe that an individual has
committed acts constituting a non- felony crime that is not a serious offense and the
individual has a history of mental illness
Without this program these individuals would be booked into the jail and typically incur
medical costs at the City's expense Defendants with active mental health illnesses
typically spend longer in jail than similarly situated defendants without mental health illness,
due to lengthy legal procedures mandated by statute, which often result in the dismissal of
charges. The lengthy stay in jail leads to other problems for the mentally ill individual such
as. the Toss of social entitlements and further decompensation due to lack of treatment
which increases the chance of further interaction with the criminal justice system. For the
reasons stated above, participation in the CWCMH Behavioral Diversion Program saves
the City money
The City of Yakima has been able to utilize this program at no cost; but, because the grant
funds have been fully expended, the City of Yakima and Yakima County are being asked to
fund the program The six month cost of the program is $216,461 and the Agreement
provides that Yakima County and the City of Yakima will cost -share in proportion to each
organizations past use of the program. The City of Yakima's portion has been calculated
at $132,041 The attached appropriation increases the 2009 General Fund budget in the
Intergovernmental Department for 3 months of the contracted period (October through
December), or $66,021 The balance of the contracted amount will be added to the final
2010 budget. Since this program was anticipated during budget development, this
expense is already considered in the expenditure /reserve calculations for General Fund
This contract period is being considered a 6 (six) month pilot project and CWCMH will be
monitoring City and County usage to determine costs saved by the program The current
budget situation makes it difficult to predict whether the City will be in a position to continue
to fund the program at the end of this six month period
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