BILL ANALYSIS �
SB 1054
Page 1
Date of Hearing: July 2, 2014
ASSEMBLY COMMITTEE ON APPROPRIATIONS
Mike Gatto, Chair
SB 1054 (Steinberg) - As Amended: June 23, 2014
Policy Committee: Public
SafetyVote:7-0
Urgency: No State Mandated Local Program:
No Reimbursable:
SUMMARY
This bill re-establishes Mentally Ill Offender Crime Reduction
(MIOCR) grants to be administered by the Board of State and
Community Corrections (BSCC). Specifically, this bill:
1)Requires BSCC to administer and award mentally ill offender
crime reduction grants on a competitive basis to counties, and
to establish minimum standards, funding schedules, and
procedures for awarding grants.
2)Requires an eligible county to establish a strategy committee,
as specified, to develop a plan for providing a cost-effective
continuum of graduated responses, including prevention,
intervention, and incarceration, for mentally ill offenders.
3)Requires BSCC to award grants that provide funding for four
years. Requires a local in-kind match of at least 25% of the
amount of the grant.
4)Requires BSCC to create an evaluation design for grants, as
specified.
FISCAL EFFECT
Until June 23, this bill included a $50 million appropriation.
The 2014-15 budget, however, includes $18 million from the
Recidivism Reduction Fund for MIOCR grants, and the
appropriation in this bill was removed by the author.
The public safety budget trailer bill (AB 1468) specifies up to
5% of the appropriation ($900,000) may be used for
SB 1054
Page 2
administrative costs.
As the chaptered budget bill contains similar language to this
bill, including the same lengthy findings and declarations, this
bill is not necessary. This bill, however, like AB 1468, does
create significant pressure to continue funding MIOCR grants
beyond the one-time funding included in the budget.
COMMENTS
1)Rationale . The author cites positive evaluations of the MIOCR
program, which was established in 1998 and provided grants up
to 2008, and the need to create additional services for
counties to deal with the realigned correctional population,
as the basis for re-establishing MIOCR.
2)MIOCR Evaluation. The 2005 MIOCR Grant Program: Overview of
Statewide Evaluation Findings, reported favorable outcomes
regarding the $80 million expended on 30 projects in 26
counties. "The statewide research found a clear and
compelling advantage for the overarching MIOCR grant strategy
emphasizing accurate diagnosis, timely services, close
offender monitoring, and postcustody aftercare interventions.
In addition to the findings of this research, the case studies
required in counties' final evaluation reports and project
staff assessments of the most effective elements of their
programs yielded strong commonality that the following 10
strategies worked best in helping mentally ill offenders avoid
further involvement in the criminal justice system.
� Interagency Collaboration
� Intensive Case Management
� Involvement of the Courts
� Mental Health Courts
� Assistance Securing Benefits
� Assistance Arranging Housing
� Medication Management
� Use of a Center or Clinic
� Assistance with Transportation
� Peer Support
3)Support . The California State Association of Counties (CSAC)
states, "Now, more than ever, counties are uniquely positioned
to serve the lower-level offender population by blending the
provision of corrections, substance abuse treatment, mental
SB 1054
Page 3
health services and social services programs to ensure better
public safety outcomes. Counties are seeking the tools and
local flexibility that we need to combat recidivism, rebuild
families, and create safe communities."
4)Prior Legislation :
a) AB 1811 (Laird), Chapter 48, Statutes of 2006, provided
funding for MIOCR grants through 2008.
b) SB 1485 (Rosenthal), Chapter 501, Statutes of 1998,
required BOC to administer and award MIOCR grants until
January 1, 2005.
c) SB 2108 (Vasconcellos), Chapter 502, Statutes of 1998,
amended the 1998-99 Budget Act to provide funds to BOC for
MIOCR grants.
Analysis Prepared by : Geoff Long / APPR. / (916) 319-2081