FAMILY AND HUMAN SERVICES
COMMITTEE

  RECORD OF ACTION FOR
OCTOBER 7, 2019

 
Supervisor Candace Andersen, Chair
Supervisor John Gioia, Vice Chair
 
Present: Chair Candace Andersen  
  Vice Chair John Gioia  
Staff Present: Julie DiMaggio Enea, Sr. Deputy County Administrator
Attendees: Emilse Ramirez, BHS; Alicia Silva, BHS; Don McClelland, BHS; Marie Scannell, BHS; Jan Cobaleda-Kegler, BHS; Alicia Austin-Townsend, MHS; Kristine Suchan, MHS; Cedrita Claiborne, CCMS; Ryyn Schumacher, CCMS; Matt White, BHS; Warren Hayes, HSD Behavioral Health Services; Laura Otis-Miles, MHS; Anthony Macias, EHSD/AAS; Chris Wikler, District IV Supv Representative; Debbie Toth, Choice in Aging; Dan Peddycord, CCHS; Jill Ray, BOS District II Representative; Douglas Dunn, MH Commission
 
               
1. Introductions
 
  Chair Andersen called the meeting to order at 1:00 p.m. and invited attendees to introduce themselves.
 
2. Public comment on any item under the jurisdiction of the Committee and not on this agenda (speakers may be limited to three minutes).
 
  No one requested to speak during the public comment period.
 
3. RECEIVE and APPROVE the draft Record of Action for the September 23, 2019 Family & Human Services Committee meeting.   
 
  Approved as recommended.
 
 
AYE: Chair Candace Andersen, Vice Chair John Gioia
Passed
4. RECOMMEND to the Board of Supervisors the appointment of Y'Anad Burrell to the At Large 1 seat on the Arts and Culture Commission of Contra Costa County (AC5) to a term expiring June 30, 2023, as recommended by AC5.   
 
  Approved as recommended.
 
 
AYE: Chair Candace Andersen, Vice Chair John Gioia
Passed
5. RECOMMEND to the Board of Supervisors the appointment of Kathie Thompson to At Large #3 seat, and Gerald Richards to At Large #9 seat, with terms expiring September 30, 2021, on the Advisory Council on Aging, as recommended by the Council.   
 
  Approved as recommended.
 
 
AYE: Chair Candace Andersen, Vice Chair John Gioia
Passed
6. ACCEPT the annual report from the Public Health Division of the Health Services Department on the implementation of the Secondhand Smoke Protections Ordinance and DIRECT staff to forward the report to the Board of Supervisors for their information.

DIRECT staff to provide updates on implementation of the ordinance as part of staff’s annual report on the County’s Tobacco Retail Licensing Ordinance.
 
  
 
  Dan Peddycord introduced Ryyn Schumacher, who presented the staff report.  Ryyn highlighted that the City of Clayton has adopted a secondhand smoke ordinance and the cities of San Pablo and Concord have ordinances in development.  The cities of Antioch and Pittsburg have indicated interest in doing so. 

The Committee accepted the staff report and suggested that staff develop a sample secondhand smoke clause for inclusion in Homeowners' Association Covenants, Conditions, and Restrictions.  The Committee directed staff to forward the report to the Board on Consent on the same day as the vaping ordinance will be introduced.
 
 
AYE: Chair Candace Andersen, Vice Chair John Gioia
Passed
7. ACCEPT report on the on the implementation of the tobacco retailer licensing and businesses zoning ordinances.

DIRECT staff to continue to provide updates on implementation of the ordinances as part of staff’s annual report on the County’s Secondhand Smoke Protections Ordinance.
  
 
  Ryyn Schumacher presented the staff report.  He discussed the 1,000 ft. buffer from schools that was adopted in 2017 and the 500 ft. buffer from existing tobacco retail outlets adopted in 2018.  He reviewed various County grants including a California Department of Justice grant to the Sheriff's Department that funds youth decoys, compliance inspections and education.

The Committee discussed the pending County amendment to the smoking ordinance that would ban vaping and discussed extending that ban to cover flavored tobacco.  The Committee directed staff to forward the staff report to the Board at the same time as the ordinance amendment on vaping is introduced.
 
 
AYE: Chair Candace Andersen, Vice Chair John Gioia
Passed
8. ACCEPT the Annual Report of the Assisted Outpatient Treatment Program for the period January 1 through December 31, 2018.       
 
  Warren Hayes presented the staff report, mentioning that 2018 was the third full year of the AOT program.  During 2018, 200 individuals received services and the current caseload, at 75, is full.  He said that most referrals come from family members and that more than 80% of the individuals have co-occurring disorders -- usually drug abuse and mental illness.  The program outcomes have been positive, seeing a decline in crisis episodes, hospitalizations, incarceration, and homelessness, and an increase in patient satisfaction as evidenced through patient surveys.  Warren commented that the "front door" model implemented by the County has been very successful, helping families to better navigate the array of available services and be directed to the most appropriate level of care for their family member.  He cautioned, however, that more step down, e.g. Assertive Community Treatment (ACT), programming is needed. He also recommended that eligibility for AOT be broadened to serve more people. He concluded that County staff have learned a lot about what works and want to take those lessons forward to continuously improve the program.

Marie Scannell described the partnership between Behavioral Health Services and Mental Health Services and the effect of the current strict interpretation of AOT eligibility.

Vice Chair Gioia asked about the number of AOT participants who were homeless at the time of referral or enrollment, and the number who were referred by police departments.  The Committee agreed that broadening the eligibility for AOT, if possible, would be beneficial and that they would ask County Counsel to re-examine the question.

Douglas Dunn comment that demand was, and continues to be, greater than the County's current capacity and expressed his hope that a W&I Code 5150 psychiatric emergency hold can be considered a hospitalization and be counted towards the AOT eligibility criteria.

The Committee accepted the report and directed staff to forward it to the Board for informational purposes.
 
 
AYE: Chair Candace Andersen, Vice Chair John Gioia
Passed
9. The November 25, 2019 meeting of the Family and Human Services Committee has been canceled due to the Thanksgiving holidays.  A special meeting has been scheduled for Wednesday, November 13, 2019 at 10:30 a.m.
 
10. Adjourn
 
  Chair Andersen adjourned the meeting at 1:52 p.m.
 
 

For Additional Information Contact:

Julie DiMaggio Enea, Interim Committee Staff
Phone (925) 335-1077, Fax (925) 646-1353
julie.enea@cao.cccounty.us