To: Board of Supervisors
From: Esa Ehmen-Krause, County Probation Officer
Report Title: B.I. Contract Amendment
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the County Probation Officer, or designee, to execute a contract amendment with Behavioral Interventions (B.I.), Incorporated, effective July 1, 2024, to increase the payment limit by $65,000 to a new payment limit of $315,000 to provide additional electronic monitoring services and equipment, with no extension in the term February 1, 2023 through May 3, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
This is 100% funded by the General Fund.
BACKGROUND:
Assembly Bill 2658, approved by the Governor on September 29, 2022, and effective January 1, 2023, recognized the possible impact of home supervision /electronic monitoring on youthful clients in the bill text, in that electronic monitors are often visible and can undermine the confidential nature of the juvenile court by identifying the wearer as system involved.
Behavioral Interventions (B.I.), Incorporated provides electronic monitoring services on behalf of the Probation Department for designated probationers. B.I. now offers a secondary option for electronic monitoring services, this option is called Veriwatches. The Probation Department intends to use the VeriWatch, with devices worn on the wrist, as an alternative to the more traditional ankle-worn electronic monitor for clients who meet specified criteria. The VeriWatch uses the same GPS technology for monitoring while also providing clients with the opportunity to see calendar events (such as office appointments or court dates) and has the appearance of a typical smartwatch and displays the current date/time, minimizing the visual impact of a monitoring device for the youth and the stigma that can be associated with electronic monitoring or as a system-involved individual, while also providing an additional resource for clients with appointment reminders. These devices can also be charged more conveniently than traditional ankle-worn monitors when paired with a portable transfer battery allowing more freedom of movement for the client for prosocial activities. The VeriWatch will add another resource for the Probation Department to consider when looking at least restrictive means of providing rehabilitation for youth who have been placed on home supervision (electronic monitoring) pursuant to a Court Order.
The Probation Department is requesting additional funds to be able to utilize this new option for their clients. The Department continues to evaluate effective rehabilitation methods while balancing privacy and the specific needs of clients while minimizing the adverse effects of system-involvement.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
The Probation Department will not have sufficient funds to utilize this new option for electronic monitoring services.