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Staff report written from press release
Bloomington, Indiana – September 19, 2023
The Jail Advisory Committee presented its fiscal recommendations to the Monroe County council on Monday, September 18, 2023.
Monroe County officials are taking steps to gather community input regarding the proposed construction of a new jail in the Thomson Site vicinity. Two upcoming listening sessions have been scheduled to engage residents and gauge their sentiments.
The first session is set to take place on Wednesday, September 20, at 6:30 PM at Summit Elementary School. County officials will listen to the thoughts and concerns of those residing in close proximity to the Thomson Site, especially individuals living near Summit Elementary, RCA Park, and the Switchyard area. This event aims to provide residents with an opportunity to express their views on the proposed jail.
To ensure that their voices are heard, local residents are encouraged to attend this gathering and share their perspectives.
A second listening session has been scheduled for Sunday, September 24, at 3:00 PM, to accommodate those who may not be available on Wednesday. This session will take place at RCA Park, providing another opportunity for residents in the Switchyard, RCA, and Summit neighborhoods to participate in the discussion.
In addition to these sessions, concerned citizens are invited to an event on Thursday, September 21, from 6:00 PM to 7:30 PM at Mother Hubbard’s Cupboard. This event will feature a detailed presentation, as indicated in a flyer released by organizers. It is essential to note that this gathering will replace the usual Care Not Cages meeting at the Overlook for the week. Normal meetings will resume on September 28.
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Here is more from a PDF presented in the meeting Monday, September 18, 2023:
MONROE COUNTY, [Date] – The Justice Fiscal Advisory Committee (JFAC) has presented a set of recommendations to the Monroe County Council, outlining key changes and reforms aimed at improving the county’s justice system. The proposals encompass a wide range of issues, from fiscal considerations to structural improvements, with an emphasis on transparency and community engagement.
1. Transition to Functional Program Team
- Category: System-Wide Procedural
- Time Allocation: Short Term
- Viable Funding Sources: None
The JFAC recommends discontinuing the current council structure and suggests that voting JFAC members collaborate with various stakeholders to establish a Functional Program Team. These meetings would be open to the public, promoting greater transparency in decision-making processes.
2. Quarterly Updates on Non-Architectural Recommendations
- Category: System-Wide Procedural
- Time Allocation: Short Term
- Viable Funding Sources: None
Former JFAC members are advised to provide quarterly updates to the Monroe County Council to ensure continuity in implementing non-architectural recommendations until deemed no longer necessary.
3. Establishment of Interdepartmental Justice Dashboard
- Category: System-Wide Procedural
- Time Allocation: Short Term
- Viable Funding Sources: Services/Contractual
The JFAC calls for the creation of a working group tasked with identifying data requirements for an interdepartmental Justice Dashboard. Collaboration with the Monroe County Technical Services Department and community input are key components of this recommendation.
4. Investment in Diversion, Treatment, and Public Health
- Category: System-Wide Structural
- Time Allocation: Long Term
- Viable Funding Sources: Seek out partnerships, collaborate with City of Bloomington
Former JFAC voting members are encouraged to establish community-level partnerships to direct funds toward diversion, treatment, and public health initiatives. Monitoring expenditures to ensure parity between incarceration and diversion/treatment is also recommended.
5. Funding for Supportive, Transitional, and Affordable Housing
- Category: System-Wide Structural
- Time Allocation: Immediate
- Viable Funding Sources: ARPA, Partnerships with non-profits, and the City of Bloomington
The JFAC advocates for immediate funding to support supportive, transitional, and affordable housing initiatives.
6. Improving Public Transportation for Justice Complex
- Category: System-Wide Structural
- Time Allocation: Immediate
Collaboration with Bloomington Transit is advised to ensure that public transportation effectively serves all user groups at the selected justice complex site.
7. Formal Mapping of Sequential Intercept Model
- Category: System-Wide Services
- Time Allocation: Short Term
The JFAC recommends engaging in a formal mapping process of the Sequential Intercept Model through the National Alliance of Mental Illness (NAMI).
8. Support for Reentry Planning and Case Management
- Category: Community Services: Intercept Zero – Reentry: Intercept Four
- Time Allocation: Medium Term
The committee suggests working with the Commissioners, Sheriff, and Courts to establish services with New Leaf New Life for reentry planning, case management, and reentry programming for inmates with mental illness and substance use disorders.
9. Fulfilling the Sheriff Department’s Request for a Re-Entry Case Manager
- Category: Re-Entry: Intercept Four
- Time Allocation: Short Term
The JFAC recommends fulfilling the Sheriff Department’s request to create a Re-Entry Case Manager position in the Jail’s Medical contract, with an emphasis on ensuring communication with the Courts.
10. Implementation of the Integrated Reentry and Correctional Support (IRACS) Program – Category: Re-Entry: Intercept Four – Time Allocation: Short Term
The JFAC suggests implementing the Integrated Reentry and Correctional Support (IRACS) program in Monroe County, which includes establishing a certified Recovery Community Organization (RCO).
11. Promotion of Crisis Services and 9-8-8 – Category: Community Services: Intercept Zero – Time Allocation: Short Term
The committee recommends funding the promotion of crisis services, including the Stride Center and Mobile Crisis Teams, and promoting the 9-8-8 crisis hotline. Engaging County, City, and existing local partners is encouraged, with an emphasis on ensuring the continued existence of local funding for crisis services.
12. Increase Funding for Centerstone – Category: Re-Entry: Intercept Four – Time Allocation: Medium Term
The JFAC advocates for increased funding for Centerstone to support existing programs for families and peer support for individuals who have been recently incarcerated.
13. Empower Monroe County Employee Services Board of Commissioners – Category: Re-Entry: Intercept Four – Time Allocation: Medium Term
The committee recommends empowering the Monroe County Employee Services Board of Commissioners to collaborate with Centerstone and the City of Bloomington in supported employment programs for individuals recently incarcerated or on probation, with the goal of reducing recidivism through court-mandated reporting.
14. Support for Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) Team – Category: Re-Entry: Intercept Four – Time Allocation: Short Term
The JFAC suggests working with Centerstone to ensure continued funding for a Forensic Assertive Community Treatment (FACT) team, encouraging collaboration between Centerstone and Monroe County Community Corrections for greater impact.
15. Creation of a Commissioner-Level Office of Justice Policy and Programs (OJPP) – Category: Re-Entry: Intercept Four – Time Allocation: Long Term
The committee recommends creating a commissioner-level Office of Justice Policy and Programs (OJPP) with collaborative responsibility for multidepartment grants. This office would also represent the County on various local, state, and national organizations and committees.
16. Funding for Routine Cost Benefit Analysis of Specialty Courts – Category: Re-Entry: Intercept Four – Time Allocation: Long Term
The JFAC advocates for funding to support routine Cost Benefit Analysis of Monroe County Specialty Courts, including Reentry Court.
17. Incentives for Landlords to Rent to Recently Released Inmates – Category: Community Corrections: Intercept Five – Time Allocation: Long Term
The committee recommends working with Heading Home and their partners to fund incentives for landlords to rent to recently released inmates and treatment patients.
18. Investment in Community Corrections Case Managers – Category: Community Corrections: Intercept Five – Time Allocation: Long Term
The JFAC advises investing in Community Corrections case managers to reduce case loads as part of the strategy to reduce revocations.
19. Embedding Licensed Social Work Staff into Probation Operations – Category: Community Corrections: Intercept Five – Time Allocation: Long Term
Preparation to support requests regarding embedding licensed social work staff into probation operations is recommended to enhance community corrections efforts.
20. Support for the Risk Assessment Tool IRAS-CST – Category: Community Corrections: Intercept Five – Time Allocation: Long Term
Continued support for the Risk Assessment tool IRAS-CST is essential to improve community corrections efforts.
21. Reduction of Non-Statutory Fees and Fines – Category: Community Corrections: Intercept Five – Time Allocation: Short Term
The JFAC recommends creating a fund to reimburse or subsidize non-statutory fees and fines, aiming to reduce these financial burdens on individuals under supervision.
22. Childcare and Transportation Support for Programming – Category: Community Corrections: Intercept Five – Time Allocation: Medium Term
The committee advocates providing childcare and transportation support for programming while ensuring timely expungement of records and maintaining gender and trauma-responsive programs.
23. Locating the Justice Complex Near Downtown Services and Bus Lines – Category: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Recommendations – Time Allocation: Immediate
Locating the justice complex as close to downtown services and bus lines as possible is recommended to enhance accessibility.
24. Racial Equity and Implicit Bias Training – Category: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Recommendations – Time Allocation: Long Term
The JFAC suggests providing periodic training in racial equity and implicit bias for all Monroe County staff, with ongoing measurement of progress in workplace climate competency.
25. Hire an Anti-Racism Consultant – Category: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Recommendations – Time Allocation: Medium Term
The committee recommends hiring an Anti-Racism consultant to create a Monroe County Anti-Racism Strategic Plan and establishing a Monroe County Anti-Racism Taskforce for community-wide stakeholder involvement in plan creation and implementation.
26. Establishing a Monroe County Anti-Racism Taskforce – Category: Diversity, Equity, Inclusion Recommendations – Time Allocation: Medium Term
The JFAC advises the creation of the Monroe County Anti-Racism Taskforce to involve community-wide stakeholders in the development and implementation of an anti-racism strategic plan.
27. Stepping Up Resolution – Category: Treatment Recommendations – Time Allocation: Immediate
Working with the Monroe County Commissioners to pass a Stepping Up Resolution is recommended. This would involve collaboration with other leaders and stakeholders to reduce the number of people with mental illnesses in jails.
28. Additional Mental Health Professionals in the Jail – Category: Treatment Recommendations – Time Allocation: Short Term
The committee recommends adding a third Qualified Mental Health Professional in the Jail, as part of Sheriff Marté’s Seven Point Plan of Actionable Items.
29. Substance Use Disorder Counselor in the Jail – Category: Treatment Recommendations – Time Allocation: Short Term
The JFAC suggests adding a Substance Use Disorder Counselor in the Jail, also in line with Sheriff Marté’s Seven Point Plan of Actionable Items.
30. Lobbying for Increased Funding for Mental Health and SUD Care – Category: Treatment Recommendations – Time Allocation: Long Term
The committee advises working with regional service providers and state government representatives to lobby for increased funding to address identified gaps in Substance Use Disorder (SUD) and Mental Health levels of care.
31. Involvement of Former JFAC Voting Member in Functional Program Team – Category: Jail Recommendations – Procedural – Time Allocation: Short Term
The JFAC recommends ensuring the participation of at least one former JFAC voting member in the Functional Program Team for the new jail.
32. Supporting Jail Space Program Development – Category: Jail Recommendations – Procedural – Time Allocation: Long Term
Once the Functional Program is established, the Council is advised to play a supporting role in the development of the Jail Space Program.
33. Departmental Gross Square Feet (DGSF) and Building Gross Square Feet (GSF) Calculations – Category: Jail Recommendations – Procedural – Time Allocation: Short Term
Continuing efforts to establish Departmental Gross Square Feet (DGSF) and Building Gross Square Feet (GSF) calculations for the Justice Campus is recommended to facilitate accurate fund allocation.
34. Addition of Jail Programs Professional – Category: Jail Recommendations – Time Allocation: Medium Term
The JFAC advises adding a Jail Programs Professional to enhance the jail’s workforce capacity for internal programming management, in alignment with Sheriff Marté’s Seven Point Plan of Actionable Items.
35. Fiscal Impact Assessment of Courts Co-Locating with Justice Complex – Category: Jail Recommendations – Time Allocation: Long Term
The committee recommends assessing the fiscal impact of co-locating courts with the justice complex and determining the most cost-effective timing for such a move.
36. Possible Funding Sources – Category: Funding Sources – Time Allocation: N/A
The JFAC provides a list of potential funding sources for implementing the recommendations, including ARPA/SLRF, Corrections Local Income Tax, Economic Development Local Income Tax, External Grants, Food and Beverage Tax, General Fund, General Obligation Bond, Innkeepers Tax, Jail Construction Income Tax, Justice Non-Reverting Fund (to be created), Non-Monroe County Municipality Funding, Opioid Settlement Funds, Revenue Bond, Sophia Travis Grants, and potential funding sources as outlined in the Ken Ray Report (pg. 181-187).
These comprehensive recommendations from the Justice Fiscal Advisory Committee will be reviewed by the Monroe County Council in the coming weeks. Public hearings will be conducted to gather community input and insights before making decisions on implementing these proposals.
