Sonoma County Court Homeless Protocol Project
Project Background
The Court Homeless Protocol Project was initiated by Superior Court Judge Gary Nadler to break the cycle of recidivism for homeless defendants, and to get them the assistance they may need to stabilize their situations and stop recycling through the court system and the jail. The Sonoma County Task Force For the Homeless is working with Judge Nadler and the Sonoma County Legal Services Foundation, and facilitating a community-wide process to design and implement the program. It includes several judges and Court personnel, the District Attorney, Public Defender, Santa Rosa City Attorney, Police, and Housing and Redevelopment Agency, County Sheriff's office, Human Services, Mental Health, Public Health, Alcohol and Other Drug Services, Human Services Commission, and Courts, as well as many nonprofit homelessness, alcohol, and drug services agencies, religious congregations, and United Way.
Program Plans
Two program components are planned.
1. Discharge Planning will start at entry to the system, be available at sentencing, and follow up to assure that defendants received appropriate services, including benefits assistance, treatment and/or housing, upon release. An extra-judicial social services advocate (Court Homeless Protocol Project Advocate) would serve the court system to assure early planning for release to treatment, shelter, or appropriate services. Agreements will be made with various agencies to provide beds or services to these defendants upon their release.
2. Many defendants could be appropriately diverted from the court system through social services outreach and/or direct law enforcement referrals to drug and alcohol treatment, and/or shelter. Such treatment (especially detoxification) and shelter will be made available and linkages strengthened between these services and law enforcement agencies.
A central focus of the proposed program is the function of a Court Homeless Protocol Project Advocate. The Advocate will make daily visits to the County Jail and be aware of currently available programs or services. Jail intake records will be evaluated, and will indicate what inmates are homeless, or use existing shelter addresses or post office boxes as their address. Contact will be made with the inmate to assess their medical and social service needs, benefits status and eligibility, determine the extent of voluntary cooperation, availability of public assistance, and whether the inmate was jailed due to substance abuse (including alcoholism), mental health issues, or otherwise. A report will be submitted to the courts at the time of arraignment or at the time of sentencing. The report will address the Advocate’s recommendations regarding the appropriate disposition, including terms of probation. The Advocate or a Program Assistant will be responsible for assisting the person in accessing benefits for which they may be eligible, and for determining and recommending appropriate treatment and/or housing placement upon release, based upon the current availability of residential and non-residential program placements.
Status
The collaborative planning group for the Court Homeless Protocol Project has selected Sonoma County Legal Services Foundation as the project’s lead agency. A Funding Search Committee of the collaborative has identified several potential funding sources, and The Legal Services Foundation is currently developing funding requests, with the support of the Task Force. One proposal was submitted last year through the Task Force as a part of a larger grant proposal to the Social Security Administration. We are still waiting to hear the results of that request, lead by Community Resources for Independence. The Task Force on the Homeless is continuing to facilitate the Court Homeless Protocol Project collaborative at least until the program is developed and implemented.
For information or to get involved in this project, please contact Georgia Berland, Task Force Executive Officer and project facilitator, at 575-4494 or sctfhmls@pacbell.net.