Posting Language
Title
Authorize negotiation and execution of an interlocal agreement with the Austin Travis County Mental Health Mental Retardation Center d/b/a Integral Care for mental health services for a 29-month term beginning May 1, 2025, in an amount not to exceed $389,453. Funding: $389,453 is available in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Operating Budget Special Revenue Fund of Downtown Austin Community Court.
De
Lead Department
Community Court.
Fiscal Note
Funding in the amount of $389,453 is available in the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Downtown Austin Community Court Operating Budget Special Revenue Fund.
Prior Council Action:
November 21, 2024 - Council approved an ordinance amending the Fiscal Year 2024-2025 Austin Municipal Court Operating Budget Special Revenue Fund to accept and appropriate $550,000 in grant funds from the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program for the DACC Mobile Court Capacity Building and Training Program, on an 11-0 vote.
For More Information:
Robert Kingham, Court Administrator, Downtown Austin Community Court (512) 974-1394. Chris Anderson, Court Operations Manager, Downtown Austin Community Court (512) 974-4878.
Additional Backup Information:
DACC was awarded $550,000 in grant funds from the U.S. Department of Justice Bureau of Justice Assistance FY24 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program for DACC’s Mobile Court Capacity Building and Training Program, for the grant period of October 1, 2024 - September 30, 2027. The FY24 Justice and Mental Health Collaboration Program is intended to support cross-system collaboration to improve public safety responses to, and outcomes for, individuals with mental health disorders or co-occurring mental health and substance use disorders who come into contact with the criminal justice system.
Approval of this item will formalize a partnership with Integral Care to use grant funds to create pathways to mental health services for participants at Mobile Court events. The partnership with Integral Care will address existing silos and gaps in services that destabilize individuals in their housing and mental health well-being journeys by replicating and adapting in-house trauma-informed best practices in the field.
Services will include intakes at Mobile Court events, which are comprehensive processes designed to gather relevant information about an individual's mental, emotional, and behavioral health needs to help ensure individuals are connected to appropriate ongoing care and resources for mental health and/or substance use needs. Outside of events, Integral Care will provide comprehensive mental health assessments, individualized treatment planning, and brief skills training to ensure ongoing care is established. Additionally, DACC will co-locate Mobile Court events at Integral Care sites to remove barriers to accessing services.
Cross-referral pathways between DACC and Integral Care will be strengthened through this collaboration, and DACC will train Integral Care to equip their staff with the knowledge and tools to identify open court cases, check court case status, attend court, and meet case requirements to resolve cases. The goal is to increase capacity, transparency, and empowerment in court processes, helping individuals resolve their cases successfully without disrupting services, stability, or their housing journey, and support case managers in the interim between and after Mobile Court events.