Upon approval, this action will result in an annual salary and benefit cost increase of approximately $111,446 with $27,711 in pension cost included. This increase will be 100% funded by County General Fund allocations (Dept 0301/Org 5710).

The Detention Mental Health division has experienced exponential growth within the last two years where most of the detainees/clients in the detention facilities require some level of mental health services. As a result of this growth and the need for more Mental Health staff at the Martinez Detention Facility (MDF) and the West County Detention Facility (WCDF), the division determined that the mental health caseloads are now identical, and the one assigned Mental Health Program Manager residing at the West County Detention Facility (WCDF) no longer has the bandwidth to travel between both facilities to manage staff and double the client caseload. Adding an additional Mental Health Program Manager position will provide continuity in the management of all mental health services, provide health and social services to the detainees/clients, coordinate services with outside agencies, and supervise subordinate staff.  
  
There is also a need to add a Community Health Worker II position to alleviate the obstacles and pressures that the division encounters. This position will conduct educational and social service programming, participate in tracking the social histories of detainees/clients, obtain basic health and physical information from detainees/clients, prepare and maintain logs and records, and help with group facilitation. This position will help speed up the process when appointments need to be made and will help ensure mental health services are appropriately addressed and scheduled for the detainees/clients.  
  
The cancellation of the vacant Substance Abuse Counselor and Clerk - Senior Level positions will not impact the division's staffing needs, and are therefore being used to offset a portion of the cost to add the two requested positions.