PRESS RELEASE

The Yolo County Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) is seeking community input during the following public meetings to better address the needs of individuals enduring behavioral health crises and that have justice system involvement. These meetings will be used to notify the public of the grant priorities for Proposition 47 – Cohort 5 and to solicit feedback.

Proposition 47, also called the Safe Neighborhood and Schools Act, was a 2014 voter-approved initiative that reduced specified low-level drug and property crimes from felonies to misdemeanors and invested the state-level savings generated from this act into prevention and support programs under the Safe Neighborhoods and Schools Fund. 65% of these savings are set aside annually for the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) to administer a competitive grant program.

Interested parties can participate in the public meetings on the following days and times:

• June 3 - 6:30 p.m. Winters City Council Meeting 318 First Street, Winters, CA 95694
• June 9 - 11:30 a.m. NAMI California meeting via Zoom https://us06web.zoom.us/j/81343174933?pwd=KkewCGKLCpwyr8JzzCy0GmxZUJiQH0.1
• June 11 – 10:00 a.m. Homeless Poverty Action Coalition (HPAC) provider meeting via Zoom https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81637349831?pwd=ZlhpQjhSRkE4RmVVVlk3ZU1pUllhZz09 
• June 11 - 5:30 p.m. Community Services Action Board Meeting 137 N. Cottonwood St., Bauer Building - Walker Room, Woodland, CA 95695
• June 16 - 7:00 p.m. City of Davis Social Services Commission Davis City Hall - Council Chambers, 23 Russell Blvd., Davis, CA 95616

Proposition 47 requires that these funds be awarded to public agencies to provide mental health services, substance use disorder treatment and/or diversion programs for those in the criminal justice system. Additional legislation mandates the grants be awarded competitively, specifies that funds may serve both juveniles and adults, and allows grant funds to be implemented towards housing-related assistance and other community-based supportive services, including job skills training, case management or civil legal services. The BSCC further requires that at least 50% of the award made to grantees is passed through to community-based service providers.

Since its inception, Proposition 47 savings have created approximately $800 million in available funding, with 65% of state savings going towards mental health treatment, substance use disorder treatment and diversion programs, 25% going to K-12 schools, and 10% going to victims’ services.