AN ACT Relating to establishing a criminal justice system diversion center pilot project; adding a new section to chapter 36.28A RCW; creating a new section; and providing an expiration date.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF WASHINGTON:

The legislature intends to measure the impacts of this innovative partnership between law enforcement and human services in targeted areas, including criminal justice recidivism rates, engagement in services, and housing stability. If successful, the pilot will establish a template for systems collaboration and targeted delivery of services that can be replicated in other communities that are attempting to address the same issues, thereby improving public safety, making more efficient use of limited resources, and instilling lasting and positive change within individual community members.

NEW SECTION.  Sec. 2.  A new section is added to chapter 36.28A RCW to read as follows:

(1) Subject to funds appropriated for this specific purpose, the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs must administer a criminal justice system diversion center pilot project. The primary objective of the pilot project is to make improvements in several areas with respect to target populations, including: Reducing recidivism; reducing the use of crisis and emergency resources; decreasing behaviors associated with untreated mental health and substance use disorders; increasing effective engagement with treatment providers; increasing housing stability; increasing engagement in prosocial activity; and increasing rates of employment and financial self-sufficiency.

(2) The pilot project must include one grant award to an eligible applicant, which must be selected and begin receiving grant funds by July 1, 2018. The Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs must adopt policies and procedures necessary to administer the pilot project, including policies and procedures for:

(a) The application process;

(b) Disbursement of the grant award to the selected applicant;

(c) Tracking compliance and proper use of funds; and

(d) Measuring outcomes.

(3) An eligible applicant must:

(a) Be a county located west of the crest of the Cascade mountain range with a population of not less than seven hundred fifty thousand and not more than eight hundred fifteen thousand residents, and also contain a city with a population of not less than ninety thousand and not more than one hundred fifty thousand residents; and

(b) Have established or be willing to establish a coordinated effort with committed partners.

(4) The grant recipient shall:

(a) Establish approximately forty residential beds to be used for short-term placements of up to ninety days, with placement prioritized for the following populations:

(i) Individuals referred by law enforcement who are suspected of having committed nonviolent crimes and whose behavior is suspected to be influenced by a behavioral health issue;

(ii) Individuals referred by social workers embedded with law enforcement agencies who have previous involvement in the criminal justice system and who are awaiting inpatient residential treatment or are working toward self-sufficiency following inpatient treatment; and

(iii) Individuals with behavioral health issues who are being released from jail, and are working with available reentry services to address needs and secure housing;

(b) Provide skilled staff twenty-four hours per day and seven days per week to deliver:

(i) Medical screening at intake and medical support throughout the stay at the facility;

(ii) Thorough needs assessment services;

(iii) Assertive engagement into available services;

(iv) Individualized support and recovery plan development; and

(v) Facilitated contact with treatment providers, employment services, housing, and other supports necessary to access appropriate services;

(c) Provide a site for the pilot project in a location that provides convenient access to relevant programming, such as:

(i) Housing and essential needs assistance;

(ii) Homelessness services;

(iii) Veterans' services;

(iv) Behavioral health services;

(v) Employment services;

(vi) Department of social and health services' community services; and

(vii) Other services as necessary;

(d) Identify and maintain consistent, experienced, and committed leadership for managing the grant, including an administrator who acts as an available point of contact with the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs; and

(e) Collect and report data and information as needed for compiling the report required in subsection (5) of this section.

(5) The Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs shall submit a report to the appropriate committees of the legislature by December 1, 2019. The grant recipient must provide the Washington association of sheriffs and police chiefs with a draft analysis and report by October 1, 2019. The draft and final reports must contain, at a minimum:

(a) A comparison of the number of arrest bookings and jail bed days for individuals served in the pilot project, including data from both six months and one year before admission to the pilot project as well as, whenever possible, data from six months and one year following admission to the pilot project;

(b) An analysis of connections to behavioral health services among individuals served in the pilot project, including data from both six months and one year before admission to the pilot project as well as, whenever possible, data from six months and one year following admission to the pilot project;

(c) A comparison of impacts to housing stability for individuals served in the pilot project, including data from both six months and one year before admission to the pilot project as well as, whenever possible, data from six months and one year following admission to the pilot project; and

(d) The number of individuals who, through participation in the pilot project:

(i) Were connected to a detox program;

(ii) Completed a detox program;

(iii) Completed a chemical dependency assessment;

(iv) Completed chemical dependency treatment; and

(v) Were connected to housing.

(6) This section expires July 1, 2020.

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