BSCC Proposition 47 Executive Steering Committee Meets

The Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) Proposition 47 Executive Steering Committee (ESC) will meet on March 29 from 9:30 am – 5:00 pm at BSCC headquarters in Sacramento to go over the Proposition 47 proposal rater training requirements. For a copy of the agenda and additional details please click here.

Judicial Council Meets to Approve Court Innovations Grant Funding

The Judicial Council will meet March 24 to consider the approval of the Court Innovations Grant Program funding awards. This program is $23.5 million in grant funding to support programs to make courts more efficient, accessible, and easier to use. In accordance with the provisions for the grant program outlined in the state Budget Act of 2016, the largest share of grant funding would go toward collaborative courts, as well as self-help, family, and juvenile court programs.

Other items on the meeting agenda include:

Immigration Resource Center: A judicial branch workgroup appointed by Chief Justice Tani Cantil-Sakauye will highlight an online clearinghouse and frequently asked questions that will provide immigrants and others with general information and resources on immigration issues.

Tactical Plan for Court Technology: The council will consider an update to the judicial branch’s Tactical Plan for Technology. The proposed updated plan, found here, includes an analysis of existing technology plans, as well as the need for new initiatives. These include projects related to case management systems, document management, remote video services, e-filing, and other technology initiatives.

Updates from Council Liaison Visits to Local Courts: The council is scheduled to receive liaison reports on the superior courts in Los Angeles and Mendocino Counties. These reports give council members information on a court’s operations and challenges, as well as its solutions to increase efficiency and effectiveness in how it provides access to justice for the public.

The meeting agenda and council reports can be found here. For additional information please click here.

NACo “Stepping Up” Webinar 

The National Association of Counties (NACo) Stepping Up Initiative is hosting a Conducting Timely Mental Health Screening and Assessment in Jails webinar on April 6 from 11:00 am – 12:15 pm. This webinar will feature key strategies for conducting timely screening and assessments for mental health and substance use in jails.

On this webinar, a national expert will provide an overview of key strategies from the Six Questions report for effectively and consistently identifying people with mental illnesses and/or substance use disorders in county jails and how to appropriately share this information. County officials will also share how they have implemented screening and assessment processes in their jails and discuss the benefits of these tools.

Additionally, the Initiative will host a follow-up Conducting Timely Mental Health Screening and Assessment in Jails Technical Assistance Call on April 12 from 11:00 am – 12:15 pm. This call will engage counties in a facilitated discussion on the second question of the “Six Questions” document: Do we conduct timely screening and assessment? For additional information and to register for the webinar and technical assistance call please click here.