Agenda

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Item # 16.

Council Meeting

Meeting Date:	11/09/2021
Department:	City Manager
Pillars:	Gold Standard in Public Safety

AGENDA CAPTION:

Consider Action on a Resolution Approving an Interlocal Agreement By and Among the Town of Addison, the Cities of Carrollton, Coppell, and Farmers Branch and the Dallas County Criminal District Attorney Office on Behalf of Dallas County for a Mental Health and Justice System Assessment and Authorizing the City Manager to Execute the Agreement.

BACKGROUND:

Tracy Eubanks (Metrocrest Services) and Rex Redden (Executive Director of Public Safety for Carrollton) embarked on a mission last year to increase mental health services in our area and to determine where gaps in service may exist. The Town of Addison along with the cities of Carrollton, Coppell, Farmers Branch and the Dallas County District Attorney recognize the need for a regional, systemic approach to providing prevention-oriented mental health services, while reducing the use of emergency and first responder systems for mental health crisis services through each Metrocrest member’s community.

The four cities and Dallas County want to engage the services of a consultant, Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute, to study and provide recommendations regarding prevention-oriented mental health services and the reduction in use of emergency and first responder systems for mental health services. The Dallas County District Attorney offered to assist in the funding of the study using assets seized during criminal investigations. The contract was written so that the District Attorney would pay $100,000 and the four cities would pay $25,000 each for a total of $200,000.

At the time of preparation for this agenda item, the Cities of Carrollton and Farmers Branch have confirmed that their City Managers will move forward to sign the ILA without placing it on their City Council Meeting agenda; the status of the City of Coppell is unknown at this time.

The study, upon completion, will provide a report containing the following:

Compilation and analysis of prevalence and needs data, by demographic variables, including poverty, ethnicity, and age;
Identification of mental health providers and stakeholders;
Identification of service gaps and strengths, with a focus on homelessness and transient populations and the impact on law enforcement and first responder systems; and
Recommendations for systems improvement.

The Meadows Mental Health Policy Institute is well-known for conducting these studies and has done similar studies in Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and Lubbock. The studies are comprehensive and will evaluate calls for service, service providers in our area, the prevalence of mental health patients in the four cities and identify needs and recommendations. Meadows has estimated an eight to nine month time frame to complete the study. Upon completion, Council will be briefed on the findings and recommendations. The study is anticipated to start in December 2021.

RECOMMENDATION:

Administration recommends approval.

Attachments
Resolution - Interlocal Agreement for Assessment