Agenda

Return

D.5

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Monica Nino, County Administrator
Date:	September 13, 2022

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Stand Together Contra Costa

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 09/13/2022

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor

NO:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

Erica Ellis Zielinski 925-335-8093

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: September 13, 2022
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ACCEPT an update on Stand Together Contra Costa and PROVIDE further direction to staff.

FISCAL IMPACT:

This is an informational item, with no fiscal impact. However, the Public Defender’s proposal to expand the Stand Together Contra Costa program would require an additional ongoing funding of $1.8 million.

BACKGROUND:

At the FY 2022-23 Budget Hearing on May 10, 2022, the Board of Supervisors requested more information on Stand Together Contra Costa, including program history and specific data points. This issue was referred to the Finance Committee for further discussion.

BACKGROUND: (CONT'D)

On July 13, 2022, the Finance Committee received a report and presentation from the Public Defender’s Office, including a report on several programmatic data points and a $1.8 million budget enhancement proposal. The $1.8 million proposal would fund 3 Deputy Public Defender IIIs, 3 Legal Assistants, 2 Client Services Specialists and provide $376,000 for contracted community engagement through community-based organizations. After receiving the Public Defender’s proposal, the Finance Committee recommended the full Board of Supervisors approve the program expansion and directed staff to confirm if AB109 Community Corrections funding source was available.

Subsequently, County staff evaluated the use of AB109 Community Corrections funding as a potential funding source and ultimately concluded that the County does not have this funding source available for the proposed program expansion. The proposed expansion from the Public Defender for Stand Together Contra Costa would be primarily for generally provided civil immigration services, which is not a stated use for AB 109 funds. Civil Immigration services for current and former adult and juvenile offenders served by the Public Defender or housed in County facilities or covered as part of a post release program have been an eligible use for these funds.

The County Administrator’s Office also surveyed counties to identify those that provide immigration removal defense, which is not a mandated service. Based on the responses received, four counties (Alameda, San Diego, San Francisco, and Santa Clara) out of 33 California County Public Defender Offices currently provide immigration removal defense primarily through their general fund . A summary of the information obtained from these four counties is included as Attachment A. At this time, the County Administrator’s Office does not recommend the expansion of Stand Together Contra Costa as the County’s FY 2022/23 General Fund budget is currently balanced and other funding sources have not been identified.

The Public Defender requests the Board of Supervisors to consider expansion of Stand Together Contra Costa if a funding source is identified in the future. The Public Defender will present to the Board of Supervisors an updated version of the presentation provided at the July 2022 Finance Committee meeting. The Public Defender’s presentation is included as Attachment B.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

No action is being recommended as part of this item.

CLERK'S ADDENDUM

Speakers: Melvin Willis; Caller 6770; Jane;Phil Arnold; Gigi Crowder; Ashley, NAMI Contra Costa; Erica Ynez, : Barbara, 40 Voices; Debra Ballinger, Senior Advisor Monument Impact; xxx; Marianna Moore, Ensuring Opportunity Campaign; Shelly Ji, NAMI Contra Costa; Elder Desiree; Malika, Stephanie, Sara Gurdian, Budget Justice Coalition; Roxanne Carillo-Garza, Healthy Contra Costa; Wanda Johnson; Kristi Laughlin, East Bay Alliance for a Sustainable Economy.

Written commentary provided by: Sara Gurdian, Budget Justice Coaliton and Jane Courant (attached).

ACCEPTED the update; and DIRECTED that additional funding for the program be considered in the budget cycle for next year.