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Extracted from Consolidated Report
This investigation was originally published as part of a larger consolidated report containing multiple investigations. View the consolidated PDF for the complete document.
Sonoma County Grand Jury
• 2019-2020
F9. It is important for County planning officials to disseminate information about development plans in a timely manner
⚠️ Translation Notice: This content has been automatically translated. The original English text is the official version. Translation may contain errors.
⚠️ Este contenido ha sido traducido automáticamente. El texto original en inglés es la versión oficial. La traducción puede contener errores.
Findings and Recommendations 13 findings
F1
Page 23
The County has addressed the timely completion of pathology reports by contracting with Kimi Verilhac, P.C. as the primary provider for forensic pathology services.
Related Recommendations (3)
R1
Page 15
Permit Sonoma offer Donald Street residents an official apology for their missteps by July 1, 2020. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F6, F7)
R2
Page 15
Permit Sonoma hold substantive discussions with the Donald Street residents regarding their principal concerns regarding the SSP by July 1, 2020, or before finalizing the SSP, whichever comes first. (F1, F2, F3, F4)
R5
Page 15
Permit Sonoma determine where the procedures used for SSP failed, and adopt revised procedures to avoid a repetition of the oversight, with a copy of the revised procedures sent to the Grand Jury by July 1, 2020. (F1, F2, F3, F6, F8, F9) The Grand Jury has recommended several dates above prior to the official required response dates. These earlier dates are provided because the approval process is ongoing and time critical.
F2
Page 23
The responsibilities and organization of the Coroner’s Office have been restructured, increasing oversight and efficiency.
Related Recommendations (4)
R1
Page 15
Permit Sonoma offer Donald Street residents an official apology for their missteps by July 1, 2020. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F6, F7)
R2
Page 15
Permit Sonoma hold substantive discussions with the Donald Street residents regarding their principal concerns regarding the SSP by July 1, 2020, or before finalizing the SSP, whichever comes first. (F1, F2, F3, F4)
R4
Page 15
The Grand Jury does not dictate policy, however, if accommodations cannot be reached, the Board of Supervisors should consider severing Donald Street from the SSP. (F2, F4, F7)
R5
Page 15
Permit Sonoma determine where the procedures used for SSP failed, and adopt revised procedures to avoid a repetition of the oversight, with a copy of the revised procedures sent to the Grand Jury by July 1, 2020. (F1, F2, F3, F6, F8, F9) The Grand Jury has recommended several dates above prior to the official required response dates. These earlier dates are provided because the approval process is ongoing and time critical.
F3
Page 23
The future sale of the Chanate property makes it necessary to relocate the Coroner’s Office.
Related Recommendations (3)
R1
Page 15
Permit Sonoma offer Donald Street residents an official apology for their missteps by July 1, 2020. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F6, F7)
R2
Page 15
Permit Sonoma hold substantive discussions with the Donald Street residents regarding their principal concerns regarding the SSP by July 1, 2020, or before finalizing the SSP, whichever comes first. (F1, F2, F3, F4)
R5
Page 15
Permit Sonoma determine where the procedures used for SSP failed, and adopt revised procedures to avoid a repetition of the oversight, with a copy of the revised procedures sent to the Grand Jury by July 1, 2020. (F1, F2, F3, F6, F8, F9) The Grand Jury has recommended several dates above prior to the official required response dates. These earlier dates are provided because the approval process is ongoing and time critical.
F4
Page 23
The obsolete dental x-ray machine impedes work flow and endangers staff. COMMENDATIONS The Sonoma County Civil Grand Jury commends the Sheriff’s Office and Coroner’s Office for: Dealing effectively with the backlog problem. (F2) Restructuring responsibilities in the Coroner’s Office. (F2) Settling the pathology contract issues. (F1) Adding a modern case management system.
Related Recommendations (4)
R1
Page 15
Permit Sonoma offer Donald Street residents an official apology for their missteps by July 1, 2020. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F6, F7)
R2
Page 15
Permit Sonoma hold substantive discussions with the Donald Street residents regarding their principal concerns regarding the SSP by July 1, 2020, or before finalizing the SSP, whichever comes first. (F1, F2, F3, F4)
R3
Page 15
Permit Sonoma respond to the principal concerns expressed by Donald Street neighborhood with an explanation as to why they can or cannot accommodate the requests of the Donald Street neighborhood residents by July 1, 2020. (F4, F5, F6, F7)
R4
Page 15
The Grand Jury does not dictate policy, however, if accommodations cannot be reached, the Board of Supervisors should consider severing Donald Street from the SSP. (F2, F4, F7)
F5
Page 36
The availability of outpatient mental health service provider appointments that accept Medi-Cal payments is inadequate to serve the number of youths requiring such services; more options are needed for therapeutic resources for children and young adults.
Related Recommendations (2)
R3
Page 15
Permit Sonoma respond to the principal concerns expressed by Donald Street neighborhood with an explanation as to why they can or cannot accommodate the requests of the Donald Street neighborhood residents by July 1, 2020. (F4, F5, F6, F7)
R6
Page 37
Sonoma County Department of Health Services staff a department with a sufficient number of Behavioral Therapists to meet the demand for Medi-Cal mental health services in the homeless youth population, by February 28, 2021. (F5)
F6
Page 36
The County needs a short-term mental health facility that accepts Medi-Cal payments and serves young people.
Related Recommendations (4)
R1
Page 15
Permit Sonoma offer Donald Street residents an official apology for their missteps by July 1, 2020. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F6, F7)
R3
Page 15
Permit Sonoma respond to the principal concerns expressed by Donald Street neighborhood with an explanation as to why they can or cannot accommodate the requests of the Donald Street neighborhood residents by July 1, 2020. (F4, F5, F6, F7)
R5
Page 15
Permit Sonoma determine where the procedures used for SSP failed, and adopt revised procedures to avoid a repetition of the oversight, with a copy of the revised procedures sent to the Grand Jury by July 1, 2020. (F1, F2, F3, F6, F8, F9) The Grand Jury has recommended several dates above prior to the official required response dates. These earlier dates are provided because the approval process is ongoing and time critical.
R7
Page 37
If it is safe to do so, Sonoma County Department of Health Services set aside a small number of beds for unaccompanied youth in the new short-term mental health facility in Sebastopol, by December 31, 2020. (F6)
F7
Page 36
Additional programs in schools are needed to provide marketable skills and financial literacy to young people.
Related Recommendations (4)
R1
Page 15
Permit Sonoma offer Donald Street residents an official apology for their missteps by July 1, 2020. (F1, F2, F3, F4, F6, F7)
R3
Page 15
Permit Sonoma respond to the principal concerns expressed by Donald Street neighborhood with an explanation as to why they can or cannot accommodate the requests of the Donald Street neighborhood residents by July 1, 2020. (F4, F5, F6, F7)
R4
Page 15
The Grand Jury does not dictate policy, however, if accommodations cannot be reached, the Board of Supervisors should consider severing Donald Street from the SSP. (F2, F4, F7)
R8
Page 37
Sonoma County Office of Education form a partnership with a local financial institution to implement a financial literacy program for middle and high school students, by February 28, 2021. (F7)
F8
Page 36
The share of funding for youth homeless programs is disproportionally smaller than the relative size of the homeless youth subpopulation.
Related Recommendations (2)
R5
Page 15
Permit Sonoma determine where the procedures used for SSP failed, and adopt revised procedures to avoid a repetition of the oversight, with a copy of the revised procedures sent to the Grand Jury by July 1, 2020. (F1, F2, F3, F6, F8, F9) The Grand Jury has recommended several dates above prior to the official required response dates. These earlier dates are provided because the approval process is ongoing and time critical.
R9
Page 37
Sonoma County Community Development Commission allocate funds to homeless youth programs and services proportionate to the size of the subpopulation in the most recent census data, when not otherwise constrained by restrictions on state and federal funds, for the FY 2021-22 budget cycle. (F8) Final Report 2019-2020 Grand Jury 2019 text.indd 35 7/17/20 9:19 AM
F9
Page 15
It is important for County planning officials to disseminate information about development plans in a timely manner in order to uphold residents’ confidence in the fairness of the development process.
Related Recommendations (3)
R5
Page 15
Permit Sonoma determine where the procedures used for SSP failed, and adopt revised procedures to avoid a repetition of the oversight, with a copy of the revised procedures sent to the Grand Jury by July 1, 2020. (F1, F2, F3, F6, F8, F9) The Grand Jury has recommended several dates above prior to the official required response dates. These earlier dates are provided because the approval process is ongoing and time critical.
R10
Page 38
Sonoma County Department of Health Services conduct outreach to the local medical community to encourage the use of the PEARLS assessment tool and provide them information about County programs available to assist children who have experienced serious trauma, by February 28, 2021. (F9)
R11
Page 38
Sonoma County Office of Education, by February 28, 2021, begin monitoring the implementation and progress of the Upstream Project, in Hopkins, MN, and the Geelong model pilot project in Tukwila, WA, and consider implementing a pilot program on this model in Sonoma County. (F9)
F10
Page 37
The County’s failure to fund a Youth Action Board has likely contributed to its lack of success in obtaining HUD’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program funding.
Related Recommendations (1)
R12
Page 38
Sonoma County Community Development Commission establish and budget for a Youth Action Board to improve the chances of federal funding through HUD’s Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program, by February 28, 2021. (F10)
F11
Page 37
The County does not currently track housing status in a way that permits a determination of how many homeless people it serves and the cost of those services.
Related Recommendations (2)
R13
Page 38
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and Sonoma County Administrator’s Office identify, by December 31, 2020, a stable funding source to support sustainable programs that will reduce youth homelessness to functional zero. (F11, F12)
R14
Page 38
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and Sonoma County Administrator’s Office develop and implement, by June 30, 2021, a procedure for County departments to consistently identify and track the cost of services provided to the homeless population. (F11)
F12
Page 37
Due to state and federal funding cuts, the Leadership Council has announced a 34% reduction for 2020-2021 that will severely affect the County’s homeless programs and services across the board.
Related Recommendations (1)
R13
Page 38
The Sonoma County Board of Supervisors and Sonoma County Administrator’s Office identify, by December 31, 2020, a stable funding source to support sustainable programs that will reduce youth homelessness to functional zero. (F11, F12)
F13
Page 37
The lack of a stable funding source prevents the County from developing and implementing sustainable programs and services for homeless young people.
No recommendations for this finding