To: Board of Supervisors
From: Ellen McDonnell, Public Defender
Report Title: Contract with Centro Legal De La Raza, Inc., a non-profit corporation.
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Public Defender, or designee, to execute a contract with Centro Legal De La Raza, Inc., a non-profit corporation, in an amount not to exceed $210,000 to provide immigration legal service in Contra Costa County for Holistic Intervention Partnership (HIP) participants for the period June 1, 2025 through February 28, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
100% California State Board of Community Corrections.
BACKGROUND:
In August of 2022, the Contra Costa County Office of the Public Defender and the Contra Costa County Health, Housing, and Homeless Services Department secured a $6 million grant from the California Board of State and Community Corrections (BSCC) to expand the Holistic Intervention Partnership (HIP). HIP provides support to those involved in the criminal legal system in an effort to improve outcomes for indigent Contra Costa County residents who struggle with mental illness, substance dependence, and homelessness. The grant provides dedicated funds to specialized legal services to indigent, mentally ill clients whose immigration status puts them at particular risk of deportation or other collateral consequences as the result of contact with the criminal legal system.
On January 5, 2023, the Public Defender’s Office held a bid conference and received three intents to apply by January 12, 2023. No proposals were received by the request for proposals deadline of February 1, 2023. After staff outreach to all three organizations who submitted intents to apply, one Centro Legal de La Raza, Inc. continued engagement, resulting in a contractual agreement for immigration legal services.
This contract will offer a range of services to protect and advance the rights of low-income, immigrant communities through bilingual legal representation, education, and advocacy.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this contract is not approved, indigent, mentally ill clients with immigration status would be at risk of deportation or other collateral consequences as the result of contact with the criminal legal system.