Report 2020-103 Recommendation 2 Responses

Report 2020-103: California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation: It Has Poorly Administered the Integrated Services for Mentally Ill Parolees Program, and With Current Funding Cuts, It Must Find Ways to Transition Parolees to County Services (Release Date: August 2020)

Recommendation #2 To: Corrections and Rehabilitation, Department of

To increase public safety and reduce the likelihood of recidivism, Corrections should continue to meet with the appropriate staff in the behavioral health departments of the eight counties where the integrated services program currently operates to facilitate coordination among Corrections' staff, the providers, and the counties. The coordination should focus on smoothly transitioning current program participants to the county services they need and on developing processes for future parolees with mental illness and issues with homelessness who will transition to county services. Corrections should begin holding these meetings by October 2020 and continue them until all necessary processes are in place.

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2023

The Department has already implemented parts of the CalAIM initiative through its enrollment of parolees into Medi-Cal benefits and assessments for mental health needs during the pre-release process. Based on their mental health needs, parolees are administered services through DAPO's Behavioral Health Reintegration. With the CalAIM initiative, DAPO or CCHCS will work with the counties to transition parolees to county mental health services. However, it should be noted that CalAIM may not apply to all releasing parolees since not all parolees may be eligible for Medi-Cal benefits and Medi-Cal eligibility is a pre-requisite to receiving CalAIM services. Medi-Cal benefits are voluntary as are CalAIM access services.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2022

Meet with representatives from the eight impacted counties to develop processes for transitioning current ISMIP parolee clients to appropriate county mental health services. In addition, develop an ongoing process for referring parolees that would have qualified for the ISMIP program to the appropriate county mental health services.

2022 Update: Date of completion, pending federal approval. Recurring meetings between DAPO and counties ended in 2022, and CDCR/CCHCS and counties are focused on implementing DHCS' CalAIM 90-day pre-release services starting on July 1, 2023. In the interim, ISMIP-like individuals releasing from prison may be referred to ECM and CS services that are currently offered in the community by the Medi-Cal Managed Care Plans.

Supporting documentation will be submitted per CSA's direction.

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

Annual Follow-Up Agency Response From October 2021

The Department's response remains the same

Previous Update: Engagement and meetings with the eight counties continues to occur, with post-release referral processes established in the following seven counties:

1. Fresno

2. Kern

3. Los Angeles

4. San Bernardino

5. San Diego

6. Sacramento

7. Santa Clara

California State Auditor's Assessment of Annual Follow-Up Status: Pending

1-Year Agency Response

Meet with representatives from the eight impacted counties to develop processes for transitioning current ISMIP parolee clients to appropriate county mental health services. In addition, develop an ongoing process for referring parolees that would have qualified for the ISMIP program to the appropriate county mental health services.

1-Year CAP Update: Engagement and meetings with the eight counties continues to occur, with post-release referral processes established in the following seven counties:

1. Fresno

2. Kern

3. Los Angeles

4. San Bernardino

5. San Diego

6. Sacramento

7. Santa Clara

California State Auditor's Assessment of 1-Year Status: Pending

6-Month Agency Response

All ISMIP participants have transitioned out of the CDCR contracted ISMIP program. Updates for each county are as follows:Los Angeles County has been working with CDCR on pre- and post-release referral processes to their managed Full Services Partnership (FSP) programs, with eight geographical referral locations.San Bernardino County is in the process of finalizing a contract with the prior ISMIP provider to continue the infrastructure for parolee referrals and services, and it is working with DAPO initiating referrals.Fresno County is contracting with the previous ISMIP provider for continued service to parolees.Kern County is accepting direct referrals from DAPO. Sacramento County accepts referrals and is in discussion with DAPO staff to formalize a sustainable referral process.Santa Clara County accepts referrals and is in discussion with DAPO staff to formalize a sustainable referral process.San Diego County accepts referrals and is in discussion with DAPO staff to formalize a sustainable referral process.San Francisco County: DAPO staff continues efforts to engage and develop a referral process.Per California State Auditor (CSA) Recommendation #1, CDCR continues to work to define the ISMIP participant criteria as part of the effort to establish processes for future referrals of parolees to the appropriate county services that are inclusive of the ISMIP legislative intent to provide evidence-based, comprehensive mental health and supportive services, including housing subsidies, to parolees who suffer from mental illness and are at risk of homelessness.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 6-Month Status: Partially Implemented

60-Day Agency Response

Meet with representatives from the eight impacted counties to develop processes for transitioning current ISMIP parolee clients to appropriate county mental health services. And develop an ongoing process for referring parolees that would have qualified for the ISMIP program to the appropriate county mental health services.

Ongoing communication between CDCR, the eight counties, and the California Behavioral Health Director's Association.

Two counties are working towards funding the services ongoing with the existing ISMIP contractors.

One county has begun taking referrals.

All counties are indicating that transition and future referrals can occur.

California State Auditor's Assessment of 60-Day Status: Partially Implemented

All Recommendations in 2020-103

Agency responses received are posted verbatim.