REQUEST FOR CITY COUNCIL ACTION
SUBMITTED TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
SUBMITTED BY: Oliver Chi, City Manager
PREPARED BY: Julian Harvey, Interim Chief of Police
Subject:
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Approve selection of Be Well OC (Mind OC) as service provider for the City's Mobile Crisis Response Program for select mental health calls for service
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Statement of Issue:
Annually, the Huntington Beach Police Department (HBPD) responds to over 2,500 calls for service specifically involving mental health related needs. In addition, HBPD handles another 12,000 calls relating to homelessness, in which mental illness is either the primary cause or a significant contributing factor. Combined, these represent roughly 10% of all police calls for service.
While our officers are capable of navigating these interactions, the City recognizes that there are other organizations throughout Orange County that have specific training to better address these unique service needs, and that a partnership may result in better outcomes for all.
As such, the City issued a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) seeking respondents interested in developing and implementing a Mobile Crisis Response program model as an alternative to our current mental health response model. Three (3) responses were received by the deadline of February 17, 2021, each of which were evaluated for their responsiveness to the RFQ and capabilities in implementing a successful program. Ultimately, Be Well OC was selected among the respondents as the most qualified and with the greatest likelihood of success.
Financial Impact:
Restricted funding has been identified to cover the first year, and the costs are not to exceed $1.5 million for this pilot program. The following are the funding sources for this program: 1) Police Development Impact Fee Fund (Fund 227) $368,000; 2) Restricted Restitution Fund (Fund 100) $282,000; and 3) American Rescue Plan Act HOME Funding $850,000.
Recommended Action:
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