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Board signs responses to two Grand Jury reports on local mental health services and a special district audit backlog
Summary
Kings County approved staff responses to Grand Jury reports calling for expanded mental-health crisis facilities and addressing overdue audits at the Home Garden Community Service District.
The Kings County Board of Supervisors authorized the chair to sign staff-prepared responses to two Kings County Grand Jury reports: “There is a Need for Mental Health Clinic in Kings County” and a report concerning the Home Garden Community Service District’s outstanding audits.
Alex C. Walker, Administrative Analyst for County Administration, summarized the county’s response to the mental-health grand-jury report and the county’s planned submission. Staff noted the county operates mobile crisis teams that respond 24/7 and highlighted that Good Samaritan Hospital received a Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (B‑CHIP) grant announced May 12, 2025, to construct a crisis stabilization unit, psychiatric health facility and crisis residential treatment beds for adults. Walker said those B‑CHIP projects paired with county mobile crisis services will better address crisis intervention needs; Walker also summarized funding and contracting considerations and said counties often partner with external entities for such facilities.
On the Home Garden Community Service District report, Walker summarized that the district had assessed difficulty hiring a CPA to complete overdue audits and that the county finance department will issue an RFP to engage an auditor on behalf of the district; staff noted audits will not be completed by the June 1, 2025, target because the RFP process and years of backlog take time. Walker cited state law that costs incurred by county auditors for special district audits are borne by the district, and said the county will offer tracking and assistance but is not solely responsible for the district’s compliance.
Staff asked the board to authorize the chair to sign both responses and to authorize the clerk to submit them to the presiding judge of the superior court by June 12, 2025. The board approved the requested actions on roll-call vote.
