Drafter
Clerk 07/03/2008
title
A MOTION adopting the mental illness and drug dependency implementation plan in compliance with Ordinance 15949.
body
WHEREAS, in 2005, the state legislature authorized counties to implement a one-tenth of one percent sales and use tax to support new or expanded chemical dependency or mental health treatment programs and services and for the operation of new or expanded therapeutic court programs and services, and
WHEREAS, in November 2007, the council approved Ordinance 15949 authorizing the levy collection of and legislative policies for the expenditure of revenues from an additional sales and use tax of one-tenth of one percent for the delivery of mental health and chemical dependency services and therapeutic courts, and
WHEREAS, the ordinance defined the following five policy goals for progams supported through sales tax funds:
1. A reduction of the number of mentally ill and chemically dependent using costly interventions like jail, emergency rooms and hospitals;
2. A reduction of the number of people who recycle through the jail, returning repeatedly as a result of their mental illness or chemical dependency;
3. A reduction of the incidence and severity of chemical dependency and mental and emotional disorders in youth and adults;
4. Diversion of mentally ill and chemically dependent youth and adults from initial or further justice system involvement; and
5. Explicit linkage with, and furthering the work of, other council directed efforts including, the adult and juvenile justice operational master plans, the Plan to End Homelessness, the Veterans and Human Services Levy Services Improvement Plan and the county Recovery Plan, and
WHEREAS, the ordinance established a policy framework for measuring the public's investment, requiring the King County executive to submit oversight, implementation and evaluation plans for the programs funded with tax revenue, and
WHEREAS, the ordinance set forth the required elements of the mental illness and drug dependency implementation plan including the requirement that the plan be developed in collaboration with the mental illness and drug dependency oversight group, and
WHEREAS, in 2008, the state legislature expanded the allowable use of sales tax funds to include housing that is a component of a coordinated chemical dependency or mental health treatment program or service, and
WHEREAS, the mental illness and drug dependency implementation plan contains the elements required by Ordinance 15949, including program proposals for expansion of adult drug diversion court, early intervention and prevention programs for adult and child victims of domestic violence and sexual assault, and the revised 2008 spending plan, as well as a new program for housing development, and
WHEREAS, Ordinance 16077 established the mental illness and drug dependency oversight committee and accepted the oversight plan, and
WHEREAS, the mental illness and drug dependency oversight committee was seated through a process of appointment by the executive and confirmation by council on May 19, 2008, and
WHEREAS, the mental illness and drug dependency implementation plan was developed in collaboration with the oversight committee from April through June 2008, and
WHEREAS, the mental illness and drug dependency implementation plan sets forth the necessary next steps for developing and operating new and expanded programs;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT MOVED by the Council of King County:
The Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Implementation Plan, Attachment A to this motion, is hereby adopted.