Department: Management and Budget
Department Head/Elected Official: Daniel Ramos, Executive Director
Regular or Supplemental RCA: Regular RCA
Type of Request: Financial Authorization
Project ID (if applicable): N/A
Vendor/Entity Legal Name (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Contracted Goal (if applicable): N/A
MWDBE Current Participation (if applicable): N/A
Justification for 0% MWDBE Participation Goal: N/A - Goal not applicable to request
Request Summary (Agenda Caption):
title
Request for discussion and possible action to approve General Funds in the amount of $162,000 to continue the Jail Based Competency Restoration Program in the Harris County Jail through September 30, 2024.
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Background and Discussion:
The Harris County Jail Based Competency Restoration (JBCR) Program began as a 20-bed pilot and admitted its first patient on January 26, 2021. An ARPA-funded expansion added 10 intensive beds, bringing the program to a 50-bed intensive JBCR. In just three years, JBCR has admitted over 400 patients, with an average stay of 65 days, a 90% restoration rate, and 275 individuals restored to competency. ARPA funding for the program has been exhausted and the continuation requires supplemental funding.
Expected Impact:
The proposed program expansion will further reduce the number of people in the Harris County jail who are on the state hospital waitlist. Previously, the JBCR program referred 47 people for outpatient therapy. The expansion will allow the program to match this result in a single year, while also increasing the number of people restored to competency a calendar year from 71 in FY 2022 to over 150.
Alternative Options:
Losing funding, and reducing the program by 10 beds, would result in 56 fewer individuals being served by JBCR annually.
Alignment with Goal(s):
X_ Justice and Safety
_ Economic Opportunity
_ Housing
_ Public Health
_ Transportation
_ Flooding
_ Environment
_ Governance and Customer Service
Prior Court Action (if any):
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