AUTHORIZING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT REENTRY PROGRAM CONTRACT WITH STATE OF WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION

RESOLUTION NO. _____ - 2020

AUTHORIZING COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT BLOCK GRANT REENTRY PROGRAM CONTRACT WITH STATE OF WISCONSIN DEPARTMENT OF ADMINISTRATION

Background: This resolution authorizes the Sauk County Health Department to contract with The State of Wisconsin Department of Administration (DOA) to receive and carry out a Community Development Block Grant Reentry Program in the amount of $370,000 in funds for the period of performance beginning 01/06/2020 and ending 01/05/2022. The Community Development Block Grant supports staff salaries and provides qualifying participants assistance in transitioning back to the community after incarceration. This correlates to the major goals of the County Board-approved Stepping Up Initiative: decrease jail length of stay, decrease number of those incarcerated, decrease recidivism, increase referrals to behavioral health services. In order to reduce recidivism the Reentry Program will assist incarcerated individuals with a successful transition back to the community after release. Data shows this is an effective way to reduce recidivism, as well as an effective strategy to reduce mental health and substance use disorder both in the community and in the incarcerated population. This program will conduct risk assessments and develop individualized case plans for individuals transitioning back to our community to identify housing, job training, job placement, education, and other social determinant needs. This model supports returning citizens in becoming productive citizens with access to substance use and mental health treatment services. The Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) will fully fund the initial two years of the Reentry Program, which will allow Sauk County to develop a local model that will be sustainable by future grant funding that requires this work to be prioritized prior to requesting many of those external funds. CDBG funds will be utilized for the salary and benefits of the full-time Re-entry Coordinator, as well as materials, equipment, client transportation, and connections to substance use and mental health services. The Coordinator will conduct risk assessments at booking, complete mental health and substance use disorder screenings, connect individuals to diversion programs (if applicable), complete individualized case plans to determine priority needs, identify goals, connect returning citizens to wrap around services in the community based on the case plan, document progress/outcomes, and facilitate inter-agency data sharing to connecting individuals to services. This will form the basis for a new system of care and connection of returning citizens back to the Sauk County community. It will fund the development and implementation of the program for 2 years, allow Sauk County to demonstrate its effectiveness at addressing the root cause problems leading to untreated substance abuse and mental health problems and recidivism, and provide the framework for sustaining the initiative. 

[Text Box: Fiscal Impact: [ ] None [X] Budgeted Expenditure [ ] Not Budgeted]

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Sauk County Board of Supervisors, who met in regular session, that the Sauk County Board of  Supervisors authorizes the Sauk County Health Department to enter into a two year contract with the Wisconsin Department of Administration, effective January 6, 2020.

For consideration by the Sauk County Board of Supervisors on March 17, 2020.

Respectfully submitted,

BOARD OF HEALTH

________________________________             _______________________________

DONNA STEHLING, Chair                             GLEN JOHNSON

________________________________             _______________________________

JOHN MILLER                                                SCOTT VON ASTEN

________________________________             ________________________________            
DIANE REINFELDT                                       KIANA BEAUDIN

________________________________

KEN CARLSON

Fiscal Note:  Receipt of the expenditure of $370,000 will be split between the County’s 2020 and 2021 fiscal years.  These funds were budgeted in the existing budget.

Information System Note:  No information systems impact.