Contra Costa County Grand Jury
2017-2018
From the annual report
The consolidated year-end volume. The individual investigations it contains are listed separately below.
📑 Year-End Report
The full consolidated volume; individual reports are listed below.
Individual reports (9)
Findings and recommendations not yet extracted.
Findings & Recommendations
8 findings
F1:
The public does not have access to monthly attendance and chronic absenteeism data because districts do not consistently post this data on their websites.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
The Governing Boards of the WCCUSD and the JSUSD should consider requesting the district superintendents to post monthly attendance data on their websites by the beginning of the 2018 fall semester.
F2:
ADA rates do not adequately indicate chronic absentee levels. Although the school districts in West County maintain ADA rates of around 95%, individual school chronic absenteeism rates range from 2.3% to 30.1%, with an average of 14.6%.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
The Governing Boards of the WCCUSD and the JSUSD should consider including previous year baseline rates, in addition to improvement goals, for attendance and chronic absenteeism in their LCAP Goal 4 by the next LCAP summary deadline.
F3:
Average daily attendance is used to calculate funding for school districts in California. School districts can increase their future ADA funds by reducing their chronic absenteeism rates.
F4:
The school districts in West County have had success improving attendance rates by building relationships with students and families.
F5:
Since the 2015-2016 school year, the WCCUSD has offered a Parent University course. School administrators believe that this course helps parents, through increased engagement with the school, support their children’s academic success.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
The Governing Board of the WCCUSD should consider seeking funds, in time for the FY2018-2019 budget cycle, to conduct a study of the Parent University course and its potential in reducing chronic absenteeism through parental engagement. The findings can be shared through the Coordinating Council with other districts and schools to help them reduce their chronic absenteeism rates.
F6:
School administrators in West County believe that incentives such as gifts, awards, and school-wide recognition motivate students to come to school.
F7:
Communities are generally not aware of the CCCOE Attendance Awareness Every School Day Counts campaign slogan because it is not broadly advertised on school marquees, school websites, and district websites.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
The Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools should consider expanding its Attendance Awareness Every School Day Counts campaign through community television and radio, social media, and school marquees prior to the 2018 fall semester.
F8:
One of the barriers faced by West County districts in increasing kindergarten attendance is the belief held by some parents and guardians that kindergarten is not educationally important because it is not compulsory.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
The Contra Costa County Superintendent of Schools should consider highlighting the importance of attending kindergarten through its Attendance Awareness Every School Day Counts campaign in time for the 2019 school year.
Findings & Recommendations
6 findings
F1:
In the Direct JPA model, each member delegates to the JPA a function that each member has the legal authority to provide. This shared approach results in cost savings and better efficiency on behalf of taxpayers.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
All cities with JPAs in the County should confirm their compliance with Gov. Codes Sections 6505 by submitting the required audit report to the County Auditor by December 31, 2018.
F2:
The Circular JPAs with a single controlling entity, such as a city council, have the potential to avoid legal debt limits and provide limited disclosures to taxpayer.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
The Auditor-Controller under Health and Safety Code Sections 34182-34188.8, should consider a review of JPAs under ABx1.26 (dissolution of redevelopment agencies and the designation of Successor Agencies) by June 30, 2019 to determine any violation of the prohibition on taking on new redevelopment or debt.
F3:
In Contra Costa County, there are 12 Circular JPAs created by cities with RDAs that no longer exist. These JPAs may no longer be valid because each is a member of another Financial JPA which may take on new debt without the prohibition (Gov. Codes Sections 6505 3416/34170 et seq,) placed on Successor Agencies. Contra Costa County 2017-2018 Grand Jury Report 1808
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
The Auditor-Controller should consider posting on its website all financial and organizational data received from JPAs associated with an RDA or their Successor Agency in a manner readily available to the public by September 30, 2018.
F4:
Cities that have created the 12 Financial JPAs do not provide JPA-specific financial information in their budget document. As a result, the public may have difficulty evaluating JPA's financial performance.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
The 11 cities that are members of a JPA associated with an RDA or their Successor Agencies should consider confirming their compliance with the provisions of Abx1.26 (Gov. Codes Sections 34177 et seq.) and report their
F5:
The Contra Costa Auditor-Controller's office maintains information only on JPAs of which the County is a member. The County Auditor could not verify that all JPAs in the County have filed an audit in accordance with Gov. Codes Sections 6505 et seq.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
All cities with JPAs should consider making special efforts, such as special mailings to taxpayers, website postings and announcements in local media, to communicate JPA debt decisions and audit reports to the public beyond simple notifications by December 31, 2018.
F6:
LAFCO has no JPA oversight and acts as a repository only for municipal services JPAs that choose to voluntarily file. This limits LAFCO's ability to review Financial JPAs.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
Contra Costa County LAFCO should consider seeking funds to expand their focus to include County Financial JPAs by September 1, 2019.
Findings & Recommendations
12 findings
F1:
The availability of MAT in the County’s emergency rooms, medical offices, County health clinics, and the County’s detoxification sites does not meet the needs of people with OUD.
F2:
Only 3.2% of the nearly 5,600 private and public medical providers in the County have acquired the Drug Enforcement Agency waiver to prescribe buprenorphine, creating a MAT gap for people seeking treatment.
Related Recommendations (3)
R1:
The BOS should consider requesting Behavioral Health Services to develop a plan by December 2018 to motivate more physicians to complete their qualifications for a waiver to prescribe and dispense buprenorphine starting in 2019.
R2:
The BOS should consider seeking funds, in the FY2019-2020 budget, for Behavioral Health Services to offer the course “Buprenorphine Treatment: Training for Multidisciplinary Addiction Professions” or equivalent to all of the County’s public medical care providers starting July 1, 2019.
R3:
The BOS should consider seeking funds, in the FY2019-2020 budget, for Behavioral Health Services to hire more buprenorphine clinicians beginning July1, 2019.
F3:
The limited open hours at the County-operated Choosing Change Clinics are a barrier to treatment for OUD users.
F4:
The 2016 California Marijuana Tax Fund (AB 1748) requires that a portion of taxes paid be used for youth drug abuse treatment programs.
F5:
The demands for programs addressing high-school drug abuse throughout the County exceed the resources available.
F6:
The demand for programs throughout the county to educate high school students and their parents on overdose prevention, the dangers of opioid use, and responses to overdoses exceed the available supply.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
The Contra Costa County Office of Education should consider seeking funds, in the FY2019-2020 budget, to provide free NARCAN kits in all County school districts.
F7:
There are no in-County adolescent residential treatment facilities. Youth requiring residential treatment are directed to seek care outside the County.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
The BOS should consider requesting the Alcohol and Other Drugs Services (AODS) division of Behavioral Health Services to use funds available under the California Marijuana Tax Fund legislation (AB 1748) for in-county adolescent outpatient and residential inpatient treatment.
F8:
Stigma of drug addiction is a barrier to treatment, and presents barriers to providing more in-County recovery facilities.
Related Recommendations (1)
R8:
The BOS should consider seeking funds, in the FY2019-2020 budget, for Behavioral Health Services to use multiple modes of communication such as news media, social media, community TV/Radio, and billboards, with a positive message to help alleviate the stigma of OUD, starting July 1, 2019.
F9:
For incarcerated opioid addicts, there are staffing gaps in the detention facilities during the week for intake screening, withdrawal management, and clinical treatment.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
The BOS should consider seeking funds, in the FY2019-2020 budget, for Behavioral Health Services to develop a plan to increase clinical treatment of substance use disorders in the three detention facilities.
F10:
The majority of those who abuse opioid prescription medications do not get them from the street. Instead, they obtain these from the homes of family and friends. The danger is exacerbated by the lack of sufficient public awareness.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7:
The BOS should consider seeking funds, in the FY2019-2020 budget, for Behavioral Health Services to develop and deliver educational campaigns to improve public awareness of the County’s opioid addiction crisis and available treatment options, starting July 1, 2019.
F11:
In a 2018 Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration study of patients seeking medical care and entering a rehabilitation intake center, the average wait time to enter a treatment program after initial contact with a provider was 42 days. Only about a third received an appointment within 24 hours.
F12:
Among the County’s estimated 54,000 persons with opioid use disorder, fewer than 10% can be treated long-term, given current care capacity.
Findings & Recommendations
11 findings
F1:
Individual departmental IT groups are useful in supporting the very different businesses of each department, but many find it difficult to stay abreast of all technology areas.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
The BOS should consider directing the CIO to update the County’s IT Strategy (last updated in 2000) by December 2018.
F2:
The County does not have sufficient policies to promote coordination and/or centralization in IT strategy, policy, procurement and strategic knowledge concentrations, especially in advanced cost-saving technologies.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
The BOS should consider seeking funds prior to the FY2019-2020 budget cycle to expand existing resources into a centralized cybersecurity unit to support and coordinate County-wide IT security activity.
F3:
The County’s IT Strategy document, which sets out goals, guiding principles, and policies, is out of date, having last been updated May 2000.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
The BOS should consider directing the CIO to re-establish a County-wide governance mechanism by December 2018.
F4:
The County's Information Technology central governance structure has almost completely disappeared. Governance has been left to the individual departments resulting in wide variations as to whether or how it is carried out.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
The BOS should consider directing the CIO to investigate policies to standardize procurement, equipment, and IT services prior to the FY2019-2020 budget cycle. Opportunities include departmental networks, and services such as email, IT security, and disaster recovery.
F5:
Neither the County nor many individual departments have a consolidated IT budget or track overall IT expenditure, making it difficult to assess.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
The BOS should consider directing the CIO to centralize the delivery of certain common services in time for the FY2019-2020 budget cycle. Opportunities include email, IT security, and disaster recovery.
F6:
The County may not be taking full advantage of economies of scale due to the lack of policy coordinating equipment and service procurement among separate departments.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
The BOS should consider directing the CIO to conduct a review of departments’ disaster recovery plans by December 2018 to ensure they are up to date and routinely tested.
F7:
County-wide email and associated calendaring and address book functions are not sufficiently consolidated. Infrastructure and management is distributed throughout the departments. Policy and procedure have hindered efficient communication.
Related Recommendations (1)
R7:
The BOS should consider presenting a consolidated IT budget for the entire County down to the department level, as part of the annual budget process, by the FY2019-2020 budget cycle.
F8:
The County is constrained in implementing IT technology advances, in part due to insufficient or lack of access to appropriate skill sets.
Related Recommendations (1)
R8:
The BOS should consider directing the CIO to investigate improving coordination between departments of IT procurement to reduce costs, prior to the FY2019-2020 budget cycle.
F9:
DoIT does not have the staff to extend security oversight from County level to the departmental level. Cybersecurity capabilities vary by department.
Related Recommendations (1)
R9:
The BOS should consider directing the CIO to investigate establishing technology resource centers for dissemination of strategic technology knowledge and support, in order to create efficiencies and attract and retain staff. Candidate areas include cloud architecture and implementation, data management, business process automation, and cybersecurity.
F10:
Disaster recovery plans are in various stages of completion and readiness by department and typically are not tested on a regular basis.
Related Recommendations (1)
R10:
The BOS should consider directing the CIO to ensure that there is sufficient County IT project management staff with appropriate authority to effectively manage the County’s large, complex software projects by December 2018.
F11:
There are insufficient Project Management resources with the expertise and authority to consistently implement the County’s critical IT projects on time and within budget.
Findings & Recommendations
6 findings
F1:
The Fire District, through the Office of the Sheriff, has supported training to coordinate law enforcement and paramedic response to an active shooting incident at a school.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
The County Fire Protection District Board of Directors should consider seeking funds, in time for the FY2019-2020 budget cycle, to finance ballistic protection gear for Fire District paramedics.
F2:
Fire District paramedics are unable to operate in Warm Zones because not all paramedics are thoroughly trained in joint operations with law enforcement.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
The County Board of Supervisors should consider continuing to fund the training (provided by the Office of the Sheriff) of all Fire District paramedics to operate in Warm Zones.
F3:
Fire District paramedics are unable to enter Warm Zones because they lack ballistic protection equipment.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
The Governing Board of the AUHSD should consider requiring all four high schools, by November 1, 2018, to begin working directly with local police to develop specific written guidelines for teachers and students on how to respond to a classroom break-in by an active shooter.
F4:
Deaths during active shooter incidents can be minimized if paramedics reach victims quickly.
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
The Governing Board of the AUHSD should consider implementing, by April 1, 2019, all active shooter guidelines jointly developed with local police.
F5:
As of April 1, 2018, the AUHSD had no written guidelines for teachers or students on how to counter an active shooter breaking into their classroom.
F6:
As of April 1, 2018, two AUHSD schools were working with local police to develop specific written guidelines on how teachers should respond to a classroom break- in by an active shooter.
Findings & Recommendations
8 findings
F1:
BART PD controls subscriptions to its daily crime log and does not make the log readily available to the public. There is no permanent link on BART.gov website
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
BART PD should consider providing permanent web links to crimemapping.com and to the subscription form for the BART Police Daily Log on the “BART Police” page (https://bart.gov/about/police) of BART.gov by September 30, 2018.
F2:
BART PD provides crime incident reports within fifteen incident categories to crimemapping.com. A crosscheck between incidents reported on the BART Police Daily Log and in the crimemapping.com website suggests that some BART PD incident data is being lost.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
BART PD should consider reviewing their data upload process to crimemapping.com for process integrity and data completeness within the fifteen crime incident categories reported, by December 31, 2018.
F3:
Crimemapping.com offers limited information about crimes that occur on BART property.
Related Recommendations (1)
R3:
BART PD should consider offering the most recent 180 days of the BART Police Daily Log reports, with simple text search function, from a permanent web link on the “BART Police” page (https://bart.gov/about/police) of BART.gov by December 31, 2018.
F4:
Crimemapping.com provides the public less detailed information about crime on BART than Bartcrimes.com
Related Recommendations (1)
R4:
BART PD should consider seeking funds at the next budget funding cycle to deploy more Community Service Officers to patrol BART stations and parking lots.
F5:
BART PD is currently operating with about 16 percent fewer sworn officers than its authorized staffing level.
Related Recommendations (1)
R5:
BART’s Board of Directors should consider seeking funds at the next budget funding cycle to equip all parking lots and garages with adequate lighting and working video cameras.
F6:
Community Service Officers are non-sworn civilian employees that provide technical assistance to BART police personnel and could be assigned to patrol stations and parking lots.
Related Recommendations (1)
R6:
BART’s Board of Directors should consider directing maintenance to make cleanliness a priority and improve the level of sanitation in stations, elevators, and restrooms. If additional personnel is needed, a request for funding may be considered for the next funding cycle.
F7:
BART parking lots and garages have insufficient lighting and few or no security cameras.
F8:
BART officials and riders are dissatisfied with the lack of sanitation in stations, elevators, and restrooms.
Findings & Recommendations
6 findings
F1:
LMCHD website lacked data addressing the public health needs of the community or measurable outcomes of the grant programs targeting the population served.
F2:
LMCHD used obsolete data rather than the current health needs assessments to prioritize grants.
F3:
The Grand Jury found no evidence LMCHD collaborated with the County, non- profit hospitals, or other local districts to avoid duplication of services.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
LAFCO should consider dissolving the LMCHD by December 2018 and assigning all the assets, rights, and responsibilities to the County as the successor to LMCHD.
F4:
LMCHD’s level of administrative costs is high compared to other government agencies that fund grants.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
LAFCO should consider dissolving the LMCHD by December 2018 and assigning all the assets, rights, and responsibilities to the County as the successor to LMCHD.
F5:
As the County already has a grant administration program in place, and has some of the same grantees as the District, there is potential for administrative cost savings through elimination of redundancies.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
LAFCO should consider dissolving the LMCHD by December 2018 and assigning all the assets, rights, and responsibilities to the County as the successor to LMCHD.
F6:
LMCHD did not maximize cash assets as large balances were left in non-interest bearing account.
Additional Recommendations
2
Not linked to specific findings.
R2:
The Board of Supervisors should consider maintaining grant funding levels for healthcare programs upon dissolution of LMCHD.
R3:
The Board of Supervisors should consider using any savings from LMCHD dissolution to improve and expand healthcare programs once appointed as the successor to LMCHD.
Findings & Recommendations
8 findings
F1:
For the last ten years, there have been no reported significant security or voter fraud issues with County elections.
F2:
The CRO is following good cyber security and logistical security practices, with a process that is as open and accountable as is practicable under current law.
F3:
The County's voting machinery is reaching the end of its maintainable life, but the County expects to implement a new system for the June 2018 election. The CRO had put aside sufficient funds for a new voting system and recommended one for purchase, which the Board of Supervisors unanimously approved.
F4:
Vote-by-mail is the more secure method of voting in the County, simplifying logistics and avoiding the “single point of failure” where a traffic accident could wipe out all voter records for multiple polling locations.
F5:
Implementation of SB450, the California Voter’s Choice Act, is not mandated. Before determining whether to implement the law, Contra Costa County is waiting to see how the law affects other counties that have chosen to implement the law, especially as it relates to the optimal number of voter centers and drop-off locations needed.
F6:
The implementation of VoteCal, the new State-wide voter registration system, introduces the facility for automated updates, and it is now connected to the DMV.
F7:
The CRO is preparing a threat and vulnerability assessment of the new system, which is planned to complete prior to the June 2018 primary election.
Related Recommendations (1)
R1:
The CRO should consider completing its threat and vulnerability assessment of its overall operation, and implement any recommended changes to its procedures per its current timetable – prior to the June 2018 election.
F8:
The CRO follows good practice in system redundancy and backup, and has a business continuity plan with Sacramento County to provide reciprocal vote counting support since each county has the same voting system. The Memorandum of Understanding and plan covering the agreement are not yet updated to include the new voting system.
Related Recommendations (1)
R2:
The Grand Jury recommends that the CRO consider updating its business continuity plan and Memorandum of Understanding with Sacramento County prior to the June 2018 election, and then test the plan’s effectiveness on a regular basis.