5478.
(a) (1) The council shall award grants on a competitive basis to applicants that will provide support and services to defendants charged with infractions or misdemeanors who are experiencing homelessness. Applicants may also, with the consent of the prosecuting agency, provide support and services to defendants charged with felonies not included in paragraph (2) who are experiencing homelessness. A defendant may participate in a program authorized under this section at any stage in criminal proceedings, including by entering into a preplea diversion agreement with the consent of
the prosecuting agency, or with the consent of the court, as otherwise authorized by existing law.(2) A defendant shall not be eligible for services pursuant to this section for the following current charged offenses:
(A) A violent felony as described in subdivision (c) of Section 667 of the Penal Code.
(B) A serious felony as described in subdivision (c) of Section 1192.7 of the Penal Code.
(C) An offense for which registration is required pursuant to Section 290 of the Penal Code.
(3) Eligible applicants shall include both of the following:
(A) Cities, with the approval of the county and local superior court.
(B) Counties, with the approval of the local superior court.
(b) The council shall develop guidelines to administer the grant program and award grants to programs that will provide, at a minimum, all of the following program components:
(1) A diversion program enabling participating defendants to have their infraction or misdemeanor charges
dismissed upon completion of the program.
(2) Provision of a public defender for the entire duration of the program.
(3) Regular court appearances enabling participating defendants to work with and have access to all service providers in one location. The program and services shall be in a location that is readily accessible to participating defendants.
(4) Provision of supportive housing, as defined in Section 50675.14 of the Health and Safety Code,
temporary, time-limited, or permanent housing to the participating defendant during the entire program.
(5) A county representative to assist a defendant with long-term housing goals and processes, identifying long-term mental health and substance abuse concerns, and answer any questions and facilitate any necessary conversations between a housing agency and the defendant to
enable the defendant to be successfully housed after participation in the program. A representative to assist a defendant with developing a temporary and permanent long-term housing plan, identifying long-term mental health and substance use disorder concerns, and answering any questions and facilitating any necessary conversations between a housing agency and the defendant to enable the defendant to obtain temporary, time-limited, or permanent housing while participating in the program.
(6) Mental health services, including mental health evaluations by county behavioral health departments and referrals to full service partnership programs, as needed.
(7) Substance abuse and alcohol detoxification
use disorder and withdrawal management and treatment, as needed.
(8) Criminal record clearing services through partnerships with a public defender’s office, legal aid, or other city or county services for criminal history record clearing and infraction citation clearing.
(c) In awarding the grants, the Judicial Council shall give preference to programs that will provide the following services:
(1) A minimum of weekly follow up with mental health and substance abuse use disorder counseling services in between court
dates.
(2) Job training or placement services.
(3) Court conditional releases from custody into residential narcotic and drug abuse programs, as defined in Section 11842 of the Health and Safety Code. appropriate substance use disorder treatment, as determined by clinical screening, assessment, or both screening and assessment.
(4) Participation of a licensed medical practitioner to prescribe and administer medication for program participants related to substance abuse recovery
use disorder or mental health treatment, if agreed to by the defendant.
(d) An applicant for funding pursuant to this chapter shall submit an application designed by the Judicial Council. The application shall include a plan for the creation of a new homeless court or expansion of an existing homeless court program. The application shall clearly detail the initiative for which funding is sought, the associated staffing activities, programs, and services to be delivered, and how the grant program will cover those costs. Any funding awarded to an applicant shall be used in accordance with the approved plan.
5480.
(a) The Judicial Council Council, in collaboration with subject matter experts, shall establish performance-based outcome measures appropriate for each participating homeless court that, at a minimum, shall include all of the following information:(1) Demographics of all homeless court program participants.
(2) Services provided.
(3) Services ordered, but not provided.
(4) Housing placements of all program participants.
(5) Permanent housing success for program participants.
(6) Continued treatment beyond the diversion program.
(7) Successful substance use disorder treatment rates.
(8) Detentions or conservatorship pursuant to the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act (Part 1 (commencing with Section 5000) of Division 5 of the Welfare and Institutions Code) during and following the diversion program.
(9) Additional criminal justice involvement during and following the diversion program.
(10) Deaths during and following the diversion program.
(11) A subjective survey of the individuals served.
(b) Participating courts shall provide the required data, including individual offender level data, on a quarterly basis to the Judicial Council.
(c) On or before July 1, 2027, the Judicial Council shall compile the data reported in subdivision (a) and shall prepare a full evaluation of each of the programs funded pursuant to this chapter and the success and challenges of those programs in addressing the needs of chronically homeless individuals, along with recommendations for improving the programs. The report shall be submitted to the Legislature
pursuant to Section 9795 of the Government Code.