Agenda

Return

C. 14

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Date:	May 24, 2022

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

REMOVE Alana Russaw from District IV Seat 1 on the Mental Health Commission; DECLARE the District IV seat 1 vacant, and DIRECT cler

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 05/24/2022

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Colleen Awad, 925-655-2350

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: May 24, 2022
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

REMOVE the following individual from District IV Seat 1 on the Mental Health Commission; DECLARE the District IV seat 1 vacant, and DIRECT the clerk to post the vacancy, for a term with the expiration date of June 30, 2024, as recommended by Supervisor Mitchoff:
Ms. Alana Russaw,

Concord, CA 94518

FISCAL IMPACT:

none

BACKGROUND:

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

The Contra Costa County Mental Health Commission (“Commission”) was established by order of the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors on June 22, 1993, pursuant to Welfare & Institution Code Section 5604. The purpose of the Commission, which serves the Board of Supervisors in an advisory capacity, is to review and evaluate the local public mental health system, pursuant to Welfare & Institutions Code Section 5604.2, and to advise the Board of Supervisors on community mental health services delivered by the local behavioral health agency. Per statute, each district appoints a consumer of mental health services, a family member of a consumer of mental health services and an at-large representative to the Commission, for a total of 15 members plus a representative from the Board of Supervisors.

Ms. Alana Russaw was reappointed to her seat as an at-large commissioner in July, 2021. After reappointment, Ms. Russaw accepted a position and became an employee of the local behavioral health agency. Her employment with the local behavioral health agency created a conflict of interest pursuant to Welfare & Institution Code §5604(e)(1), which provides in pertinent part “… a member of the board or the member’s spouse shall not be a full-time or part-time county employee of a county mental health service, an employee of the State Department of Health Care Services, or an employee of, or a paid member of the governing body of, a mental health contract agency.”

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

The appointee with a conflict of interest cannot vote or otherwise participate in the business of the Commission and precludes appointment of a new commissioner for the at-large seat.