Taskforce

On May 25, 2021, Alameda County Board of Supervisors (BOS) unanimously approved a “Care First, Jails Last” Policy Resolution. The CFJL policy affirmed that Alameda County values a comprehensive continuum of care for individuals with mental illness, substance use, and co-occurring disorders rather than incarceration.  It also called for a just and equitable transformation of criminal justice, behavioral health, and wraparound services that reduce the number of people with mental illness, substance use, and co-occurring disorders in Santa Rita Jail.  The time limited CFJL Taskforce was later formed and included a twenty-five-member body charged with developing a county-wide implementation plan.  The Brown Act covered body (CFJL Taskforce) was also informed by the Sequential Intercept Map that was developed through the multi-year Justice Involved Mental Health (JIMH) community planning process, data, existing interventions, the Reimagine Adult Justice Report and system planning, and community engagement and feedback.  Over 24 months, the Taskforce met to expand upon existing policies to achieve a system that aims to provide treatment and services instead of arrest and jail to those in need in Alameda County.  The final CFJL Plan and report to the Alameda County Board of Supervisors is included here.

On August 6, 2024 the Alameda County BOS (Agenda – Item 91.1) approved recommendations to receive the final CFJL Taskforce Report, Delegate continued planning and implementation to the Mental Health Advisory Board (MHAB) with quarterly updates to the Board of Supervisors’ Health Committee; Direct the MHAB to develop an integrated implementation plan in conduction with Alameda County Behavioral Health (ACBHD); Direct all relevant Alameda County agencies and departments to participate in the planning process as requested; and to Direct  ACBHD to conduct a cost analysis and coordinate Alameda County agencies and departments to identify funding sources for the recommendations of the report and implementation plan.   These recommendations were approved, with a modified direction that the MHAB provide twice yearly updates to the BOS Health Committee and yearly updates to the Full BOS.

Currently, activities related to the ongoing development of an integrated countywide CFJL plan and costs analyses rest with the Alameda County Mental Health (Behavioral Health) Advisory Board and the Alameda County Behavioral Health Department, respectively.