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Clerk 7/20/2007
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AN ORDINANCE adopting the revised framework policies for human services, as required by Ordinance 15406; and amending Ordinance 13629, Section 1, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.51.010.
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BE IT ORDAINED BY THE COUNCIL OF KING COUNTY:
SECTION 1. Findings:
A. Since 1999, King County has conducted several regional policy and planning efforts that have helped to explore and redefine human services priorities and populations.
B. Two significant regional efforts, the Juvenile Justice Operational Master Plan and the Adult Justice Operational Master Plan, focused on developing alternatives to detention and incarceration for youth and adults as a means of stabilizing lives and reducing census and costs. These alternatives include programs that create linkages to a variety of human services, including assessment, treatment in jail and upon discharge, housing, employment and job training and other cost-effective prevention and intervention services for individuals and their families.
C. In 2005, the council approved the Ten-Year Plan to End Homelessness in King County, which prioritizes investments focused on preventing or reducing homelessness, moving people quickly to stable housing, and improving linkages to treatment and other supportive services to create stability and increase self-sufficiency.
D. The voters of King County in 2005 approved the veterans and human services levy to create a new funding source for housing and supportive services to help veterans, military personnel and their families, and other individuals and families in need across King County. As a means of providing guidance to the levy implementation, the council approved Ordinance 15406 in April 2006, directing that "the proceeds shall be used primarily to prevent or reduce homelessness and unnecessary involvement in the criminal justice and emergency medical systems for veterans, military personnel and their families and other individuals and families most at risk," and calling for the development of a service improvement plan to describe how these goals would be met. In recognition of the many changes to human services in recent years, Ordinance 15406 also required an update of the original framework policies for human services first approved in 1999, in Ordinance 13629.
E. In October 2006, the council approved the service improvement plan, in Ordinance 15632, which identified target populations and investment strategies to serve those most in need througout the county, with particular focus on enhanced services for veterans, military personnel and their families; ending homelessness through outreach, prevention, permanent supportive housing and employment; increasing access to behavioral health services; and strengthening families at risk. Ordinance 15632 also directed the department of community and human services to develop procurement plans in consultation with other funding agencies and to review those plans with the veterans and regional human services oversight boards before initiating provider selection and contracting processes.
F. The 2007 Budget Ordinance, Ordinance 15652, calls upon the county's law and justice agencies to "reduce the costs of secure detention through the use of alternatives to detention, treatment programs, and process improvements" and provides additional funding "to ensure that these programs can grow and the county can continue to reap savings from lower jail population and reduced crime. It also funds adult learning programs that promote life skills and reduce reoffending." The budget ordinance further states that "controlling the costs of the criminal justice system in this and prior years allows the county to sustain support for human services . . . ."
G. In support of the effort to prevent or reduce emergency medical and criminal justice system involvement and costs, both the criminal justice council and the juvenile justice operational master plan oversight committee moved to support the updated human services framework policies at separate meetings in February 2007.
H. In addition to the countywide and unincorporated area services for which it has primary responsibility, King County also has a role in regional human services, working with many partners to help those most in need. King County currently has lead responsibility for several regional human service systems, including mental health, substance abuse and developmental disabilities. The county is a member of countywide partnerships participating in planning for, coordinating and funding other existing regional human service systems, including, but not limited to, aging, domestic violence, sexual assault, youth and family services and information and referral services. Many of the investments called for by the veterans and human services levy, as well as some of the other regional human service plans, will impact each other and will benefit from cooperative efforts to improve services through continued regional partnerships."
Renumber the remaining subsections consecutively and correct any internal references accordingly.
I. All of the above reference and support service and population priorities consistent with the updated framework policies for human services.
J. Section 2 of this ordinance amends K.C.C. 2.51.010.
SECTION 2. Ordinance 13629, Section 1, as amended, and K.C.C. 2.51.010 are each hereby amended to read as follows:
A. The ((King County F))framework ((P))policies for ((H))human ((S))services, dated ((August 24, 1999)) April 2, 2007, and contained in Attachment A to ((Ordinance 13629, and the Implementation Guidelines for the Framework Policies for Human Services, dated August 24, 1999 and contained in Attachment B to Ordinance 13629)), this ordinance are adopted to establish priorities and guide the future development of county human service((s)) programs. These priorities link directly to key policy and practice areas in human services, such as criminal justice system alternatives, ending homelessness, the service improvement plan for the veterans and human services levy and other regional plans and initiatives.
B. The department of community and human services shall have lead responsibility for implementing the framework policies for human services ((in accord with the implementation guidelines)). The department shall work in cooperation with ((the King County children & family commission and with)) other county departments and offices also providing services to the ((same)) priority populations, including, but not limited to, ((the departments of)) public health, adult and juvenile detention, natural resources and parks, superior court and transportation. The department shall continue to provide opportunities throughout planning processes for participation by other regional funding organizations that also provide services to the county's priority populations, in order to better plan for and coordinate human services across the region.