TEXAS TASK FORCE ON INDIGENT DEFENSE 205 West 14 th Street, Suite 700 Tom C. Clark Building (512)936-6994 P.O. Box 12066, Austin, Texas 78711-2066 CHAIR: THE HONORABLE SHARON KELLER Presiding Judge, Court of Criminal Appeals DIRECTOR: MR. JAMES D. BETHKE VICE CHAIR: THE HONORABLE OLEN UNDERWOOD April 8, 2005 The Honorable Dolores Briones El Paso County Judge 500 E. San Antonio, #301 El Paso, TX 79901 VIA FAX: 915-543-3888 RE: 2004 Discretionary Grant Extension - Public Defender Mental Health Unit Dear Judge Briones, Your request to extend the above mentioned grant for six months was approved by the Task Force on April 7, 2005. Please find the Amended Statement of Grant Award attached. Sign and return via fax to 512-475-3450 as soon as possible but before April 30, 2005. You also requested to change the purpose of the $500 in the contract services line items. Since your letter indicates that El Paso Public Defender met the training requirements in the original proposal, the evaluation you propose adds value to the program and does not change scope. No Task Force action was required for you to conduct that evaluation. The Task Force took action on the PD Offices funding request for an out-of-cycle grant. I will provide that information in a separate correspondence. Please call me if I can provide any assistance to you. Sincerely, Bryan Wilson Grants Administrator Task Force on Indigent Defense FY04 Discretionary Statement of Grant Award Page 1 of 6 pages
Task Force on Indigent Defense Statement of Grant Award FY2004 Discretionary Grant Grant Number: 212-04-D04 Grantee Name: El Paso County Program Title: Public Defender Mental Health Unit Grant Period: 3/1/2004-4/30/2005 July 31, 2005 Grant Award Amount: $175,291.00 The Task Force on Indigent Defense (Task Force) has awarded the above-referenced grant. The authorized official named on the grant application must sign this Statement of Grant Award and return it to the Task Force by March 3, 2004. The grantee will not receive any grant funds until this notice is executed and returned to the Task Force. Funding is provided as listed in the categories in the table below: Standard Grant Conditions: Direct Costs Personnel (Total Number of FTEs: 3 ) $171,791.00 Salary - $134,144.00 Fringe Benefits - $37,647.00 Travel and Training $2,000.00 Equipment Supplies $1,000.00 Contract Services 500.00 Total Direct Costs $175,291.00 Indirect Costs: Indirect Costs 0 Total Indirect Costs Total Proposed Costs $175,291.00 Less Cash from Other Sources Total Amount Funded by Task Force $175,291.00 The authorized official for the grantee accepts the grant award. The authorized official, financial officer, and program director, referred to below as grant officials, agree to the terms of the grant as written in the Request for Applications issued on August 25, 2003, including the rules and documents adopted by reference in the Task Force on Indigent Defense s Grant Rules in Title 1, Part 8, Chapter 173, Texas Administrative Code. The grant officials understand that a violation of any term of the grant may result in the Task Force placing a temporary hold on grant funds, permanently deobligating all or part of the grant funds, requiring reimbursement for funds already spent, or barring the organization from receiving future grants. Task Force on Indigent Defense FY04 Discretionary Statement of Grant Award Page 2 of 6 pages
Disbursement of funds is always subject to the availability of funds. The grant officials agree to follow the grant terms contained in the Required Conditions and Report contained in Attachment A. The authorized official for this grant program has read the preceding and indicates agreement by signing this Statement of Grant Award below: Signature of Authorized Official Name & Title (must print or type) Date Task Force on Indigent Defense FY04 Discretionary Statement of Grant Award Page 3 of 6 pages
Program Requirements Attachment A Required Conditions and Reports In addition to the program requirements stated in the Request for Applications (RFA) theses specific program requirements apply to this funded program The county understands only one year of funding will be granted for positions funded by the Task Force; The county commits that at the end of the grant period it will make a good faith effort to fully fund the positions for one full year after the expiration of the grant period. Documentation shall be provided to the Task Force explaining the county s position with regards to future funding for the positions within 90 days after the grant period. The county will submit reports to obtain reimbursement of expended funds based on actual expenditures; The funded positions will be county employees. In no circumstances may the position report to law enforcement agencies or prosecutors. Participation All courts of the county hearing juvenile or criminal matters punishable by incarceration (constitutional county courts, statutory county courts and district courts) in El Paso Counties must participate in the program. Activity The County will develop a Mental Health Unit in the Public Defenders office as described in the county s application for FY04 Discretionary Grant Funds. Position Minimum Requirements The County must provide to the Task Force staff the minimum job requirements and a full job description of the positions specified under this project in the FY04 Discretionary Grant Application from El Paso County before a person is selected but not more than thirty days after acceptance of this grant. Project evaluation The Public Defender's Mental Health Unit will be evaluated through the services it provides to clients on its Mental Health/Mental Retardation caseload. The Mental Health Unit s goal of enhancing the quality of representation to individuals with mental illness and/or mental retardation received in El Paso County s criminal justice system will benefit the clients directly through Task Force on Indigent Defense FY04 Discretionary Statement of Grant Award Page 4 of 6 pages
knowledgeable, expedited resolution of the clients cases, but it will also benefit the criminal justice system as a whole by reducing the time that cases are pending. In addition, reducing the amount of time clients are incarcerated awaiting resolution of their charges will help the clients to return to their prescribed treatment regimens (or begin one), and reduce expenses for taxpayers, through reduced days in jail and attendant reduced medication and treatment costs. Outputs Objective Screening 3000 clients for referral to Mental Health Unit Mental Health Unit providing services to 250 MH/MR clients Outcomes Data to Be Gathered Number of Clients Screened for referral Number of clients assigned to Mental Health Unit Specific Measure Counting Number of Clients screened for MH/MR issues Counting number of clients assigned to Mental Health Unit Data Source/ Collection Procedure Source: Case Management Team in Public Defender s Office will record data from files after caseworker interviews in Excel Spreadsheet daily Source: Case Management Team in Public Defender s Office will document each client assigned to Mental Health Unit daily in Excel Spreadsheet Objective Minimize the length of pretrial confinement for MH/MR clients Minimize the length of time between arrest and resolution of MH/MR clients cases Data to Be Gathered Amount of time MH/MR clients are confined prior to resolution of charges Amount of time between arrest and resolution of cases for MH/MR clients Specific Measure Compare amount of time program clients are confined to amount of time individuals with MH/MR issues were confined during calendar 2003 Compare amount of time program clients cases are pending to amount of time individuals with MH/MR issues cases were pending during calendar 2003 Data Source/ Collection Procedure Source: Case Management Team will calculate the amount of time each MH/MR client was detained as part of the file closing procedures. Number of days of detention will be entered into Excel Spreadsheet. Source: Data for time individuals with MH/MR issues were detained pretrial during calendar 2003 will be obtained from El Paso County s integrated justice database, J.I.M.S. Source: Case Management Team will calculate the amount of time each MH/MR client s case was pending as part of the file closing procedures. Number of days of detention will be entered into Excel Spreadsheet. Source: Data for the length of time individuals with MH/MR issues cases were pending during calendar 2003 will be obtained from El Paso County s integrated justice database, J.I.M.S. Task Force on Indigent Defense FY04 Discretionary Statement of Grant Award Page 5 of 6 pages
AMENDED Timeline for Reporting and Fund Distribution Reports will be submitted on-line over the Internet. Reporting Period Type Report Due Date Report Due Fund Distribution Date March through May Budget Status Report June 15, 2004 June 2004 June through August Budget Status Report September 15, 2004 September 2004 September through Budget Status Report December 15, 2004 December 2004 November December through Budget Status Report March 15, 2005 March 2005 February March through May Budget Status Report June 15, 2005 June 2005 June and July 2005 Final Budget Status September 15, 2005 September 2005 Report Final Follow-up to Closeout Report Statement of compliance documentation for use of equipment. Summary of use of system after grant period. July 31, 2006 N/A Task Force on Indigent Defense FY04 Discretionary Statement of Grant Award Page 6 of 6 pages