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HomeMy WebLinkAboutCommittee of the Whole June 29 1989WHATCOM COUNTY COUNCIL COMMITTEE OF THE WHOLE June 29, 1989 Council Chairman Don Hansey called the meeting to order at 7 p.m. in the Council Chambers. Other Council Members Present: Absent: Emily Jackson Tom Burton Corky Johnson Will Roehl Dan Warner Mary Vanderpol 1. PRESENTATION OF THE EFFECTS OF NEW MENTAL HEALTH LEGISLATION, BY PEGGY BALL, DIRECTOR OF COMBINED SERVICES Ball presented the following documents, which are on file (SOCIAL SERVICES /MENTAL HEALTH) in the Council Office: A summary of the Neimi Bill, Substitute Senate Bill 5400; a list of time -lines included in the bili; population statistics; per -bed costs in different counties; and Whatcom County's alternatives under the new legislation. Ball explained that the bill presents brand new options, one of which is the ability to manage state funds at the local level through a Regional Support Network. By 1995 the whole mental health system will have changed. The Council has until October to decide if It would like to take part In a regional mental health network; it will have another opportunity to join in 1992; if the Council still wants to "go it alone ", the state will administer funds through the Department of Social and Health Services. Under the regional support network, instead of sending mentally ill people to Western State Hospital, they will be sent to a regional long -term care facility known as Northern State Hospital (probably located in Sedro Woolley). Short -term evaluation and treatment will be available in each county. There was discussion as Council members questioned Ball and asked for clarification. Roehl asked Ball to track an imaginary client, for example a manic - depressive, through the present mental health system. Ball said the system would work something bike this: - Police would pick up client, note behavior, taken him /her to emergency room of local hospital. County mental health folks would be notified. - County mental health officials decide to detain the client for evaluation; the client maybe would stay in St. Luke's, Skagit Hospital, St. Peter's in Olympia, or Western State. -If evaluated in St. Luke's, a clinical psychologist would observe the client for 14 days. -The County may then release the person, commit them to small facility such as a small place near Lake Whatcom. -If the client violates the terms of the lesser facility, he or she would be sent to Western State Hospital. - Western State Hospital could release the person if they don't think he or she is ill enough, our possibly a court in that county could bump the r person out. The Hospital is not under obligation to notify Whatcom County officials that the person has been released; at times, even the Hospital's own social worker is not notified. Roehl asked how the new system would work. Ball said an evaluation and treatment facility would be created so clients can be evaluated for 14 days, instead of being kept at St. Luke's. Until such a facility is built here, Whatcom County people could use the facility in Snohomish County. Then there would be a more intensive care facility (Northern State) for people needing long -term treatment. Ball said the aim is to stop using Western State Hospital, except for mentally i l l offenders. Hansey asked if funding is in place for the evaluation and treatment center in Whatcom County. Ball said she was told that it is available within the state mental health budget; however, extra money was not appropriated specifically for that project. Ball said she would prefer being part of a five - county region. There was more discussion. Ball said the region's operation would be similar to that of the Northwest Regional Council's. Interlocal agreements setting up the region would need to stipulate that the system would be disbanded if state funding were not available. Two officials from Snohomish County were present, but were not asked to speak. There was more discussion. Executive Shirley Van Zanten said the Council needs to decide if it wants to become part of a regional network by October 30; then the new system would start operation in January of 1990 or sooner. She and Vanderpol planned to attend at meeting July 14 in Skagit County to meet with other possible participants in a regional system; she said it would be nice to have a decision from the Council on July 20 or in August. Hansey asked that this topic be placed on the July 6 Council agenda under "Other Business" for further discussion. 2. DISCUSSION OF COST ANALYSIS FOR HIRING ADDITIONAL COURT COMMISSIONERS (INFORMATION RECEIVED AT PREVIOUS COUNCIL MEETING; ON FILE IN THE COUNCIL OFFICE) Van Zanten introduced the topic, noting that the Council will need to decide on funding priorities because every department in the Courthouse could benefit from more staff. She said hiring an additional court commissioner would create some space problems and she frankly did not know how they were to be addressed. She distributed a memo noting that due to the Council's approval of $508,000 in supplemental budget appropriations this year, there isn't much money left in reserve for the remainder of the year (on file; BUDGET). Superior Court Clerk N.F. Jackson explained that court commissioners handle routine matters for the judges, basically anything short of jury trials. He talked about the increased workloads the entire judicial system is facing. There was discussion. One of the problems with the system is the inability to police probation terms. This encourages people to think there is no teeth to the system, Jackson said. It also is difficult to collect fines imposed by the courts. Judge Nichols also talked about the increased workload faced by the courts. He distributed a copy of his calendar from the day before, three pages single- spaced on legal -sized paper (on file; LADY ENFORCEMENT /SUP. CT.). Some cases lie only spent seconds on, he said, noting that such a system allows some people to fall through the cracks; such were the circumstances that led to the release of a mentally ill man who recently mutilated a Tacoma youth, he said. Pro -tem judges are expensive, take time to get up to speed, and have other drawbacks. A full -time judge or court commissioner gets faster and better at "pre- screening" cases. Judge Michael Moynihan said the need for a third judge in District Court could be put off if a part -time commissioner were hired. He spoke to the drawbacks of hiring people to act as pro -tem judges. Johnson asked if night court were an option; Moynihan said no, due to the need for extra security staff and other considerations. Nichols said the reason the courts survive now is that the Prosecutor and Public Defender plea bargain 98 percent of their cases. There was more discussion. Laura Witter, Department of Corrections, said collection of fines is getting easier because of the ability to bill offenders, force the sale of property and to attach homes until fees are paid. There was discussion. Nichols said going through some sort of enforcement proceeding makes it easier to collect such fines because judges or court commissioners can be more imposing than someone trying to collect for the Department of Corrections. Ira Yurich (SP ?), a pro -tern commissioner, supported the hiring of a commissioner. He said space is not a problem because he has court in small rooms, and could make do in just about any situation. Warner and Roehl asked if revenue projections associated with adding the position, and an analysis of available space, could be provided for the Council at a future meeting. Jackson said he would consult the Executive about prioritizing use of the Council Chambers so the courts could use it more often. Hansey noted that the Council Clerk has control over the Chambers and Conference Room, and that she will consult with the Council about prioritizing use of the room. Hansey said further discussion of the matter, including receipt of the information requested by Roehl and Warner, would take place during the July 20 Council meeting under "Other Business." The meeting was adjourned at about 9:15 p.m. ATTEST; J . Ramona Reeves, Council Clerk WHATCOM COUN WHATTCOM COUN aid G. IL IN ss "el , Chb i rman