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HomeMy WebLinkAboutRES NO 075-2022RESOLUTION NO. 075-.- 2 02 2 A RESOLUTION OF THE CITY COUNCIL OF THE CITY OF BAKERSFIELD IN SUPPORT OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA CARE COURT INITIATIVE - SB 1338. - WHEREAS, in California, cities are at the forefront of responding to homelessness, providing shelter beds, partnering with nonprofits and churches, and working across silos to find creative and innovative ways to guide homeless youth, families, seniors, and veterans into shelter and care; and WHEREAS, in 2018, the City of Bakersfield declared a homeless emergency shelter crisis; and WHEREAS, by the end of 2022, the City of Bakersfield will have invested in over 600 new shelter beds; and WHEREAS, the 2022 Point -in -Time homeless count found that, for the first time in recent history, that the number of sheltered homeless individuals is higher than the number of unsheltered individuals in the City of Bakersfield, meaning there are more people in shelters than on our streets; and WHEREAS, thanks to voter supported Measure N - PSVS, the City of Bakersfield has been able to invest over $11 million dollars a year in programs related to quality of life, homeless prevention, homeless services and affordable housing; and WHEREAS, the City of Bakersfield quality of life investments include the creation of Code Enforcement Rapid Response Teams, bio -hazard clean up teams in downtown; Public Works Clean City Teams, the Bakersfield Homeless Center's jobs program, and the reestablishment of the Bakersfield Police Department Impact Teams; and WHEREAS, the City of Bakersfield homeless services investments include the operations of the 150 -bed Brundage Lane Navigation center which has permanently housed over 130 individuals in two years and comprehensive street outreach through contractor Flood Ministries; and WHEREAS, despite the City of Bakersfield's significant investments in emergency shelters, street outreach and affordable housing - the City's homelessness crisis persists thereby highlighting the limitations of California cities in addressing homelessness; and WHEREAS, service providers in the City of Bakersfield are reporting increased service resistance among the City's remaining homeless population which they attribute to severe substance abuse and mental health issues among the gAKF - Page 1 of 4 Pages - p� asp � r 90RIGINR.10 homeless population; and WHEREAS, in the State of California, mental health and substance abuse recovery services are funded and delivered through counties; and WHEREAS, the City of Bakersfield has supported innovative programing and partnerships with the Kern County Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) Department including making beds available to BHRS at the City's Brundage Lane Navigation Center, placing a mental health professional in the Police Department call center, which has diverted 60% of calls that would have otherwise received a patrol response, and mental health co -response teams that respond with the Bakersfield Police Departments Impact Team; and WHEREAS, in Fiscal Year 2023, the state has seen an increase in revenue to the Mental Health Services Act and a combined total of $11.6 billion is available to counties for programming; and WHEREAS, in March 2022, Governor Gavin Newsom unveiled the Community Assistance, Recovery and Empowerment (CARE) Court framework to get people with mental health and substance use disorders the support and care they need; and WHEREAS, thousands of Californians are suffering from untreated schizophrenia spectrum or psychotic disorders that too often lead to homelessness, incarceration, institutionalization, or premature death; and WHEREAS, California State Senators Umberg, Orange County and Eggman, San Joaquin County introduced SB 1338 establishing the CARE Court; and, WHEREAS, CARE Court includes accountability for everyone - on the individual and on local governments - with court orders for services; and WHEREAS, each individual is connected with a court-ordered CARE Plan and Supporter for up to 24 months; and WHEREAS, CARE Court connects a person with a care team in the community and can include clinically prescribed, individualized treatment with supportive services, stabilizing medication and a housing plan; and WHEREAS, all counties across the state will participation in CARE Court under the proposal. If counties do not meet their specified duties under court -ordered CARE Plans, the court will have the ability to order sanctions and, in extreme cases, appoint a receiver to ensure services are provided. AK - Page 2 of 4 Pages - � r 'ORIGINAL' NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the City Council of the City of Bakersfield as follows: 1. The City Council finds and declares that the foregoing recitals are true and correct and are hereby incorporated fully as a material part of this Resolution and based upon -such matters, the City Council makes the additional findings set forth herein below. 2. The City Council finds and declares that CARE Court would assist cities by getting at one of the root causes of homelessness which are schizophrenia spectrum or psychotic disorders and substance abuse. 3. The City Council finds and declares support for SB 1338 which establishes the CARE Court. 4. The City Manager's Office shall transmit copies of this Resolution to the Governor, California Department of Health and Human Services, Speaker of the Assembly, Senate President pro Tempore and the City's state legislative delegation. 5. The City Clerk shall attest and certify to the passage and adoption of this Resolution and it shall become effective immediately upon its approval. ---------- 000 ---------- �gAKF,� - Page 3 of 4 Pages - p s y � rn Z5ORICINF! o HEREBY CERTIFY that the foregoing Resolution was passed and adopted by the Council of the City of Bakersfield at a regular meeting thereof held on MAY 16 2022 , by the following vote: ,AYES: COUNCILMEMBER ARIAS, GONZALES, WEIR, SMITH, FREEMAN, GRAY, PARLIER NOES: COUNCILMEMBER ABSTAIN: COUNCILMEMBER ABSENT: COUNCILMEMBER Jl LIE DRIMAKIS, MMC CITY CLERK and Ex Officio Clerk of the Council of the City of Bakersfield APPROVED MAY 18 2022 By 44M ;kl KAREN GOH Mayor APPROVED AS TO FORM: VIRGINIA GENNARO City Attorney B ?"A' J SHUA H. RUDNICK puty City Attorney JHR/ag S:\COUNCIL\Resos\21-22\CARECourt.Reso.docx - Page 4 of 4 Pages - p 30RIGINAl'