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Ojai approves one-year contract with Ventura County Behavioral Health for intensive services coordinator (RISE)
Summary
The council approved a one-year contract to embed a Ventura County Behavioral Health RISE (Rapid Integrative Support and Engagement) coordinator to work with law enforcement and city staff to engage people experiencing severe mental-health or substance-use crises in city limits; the vote was 3-2.
The Ojai City Council voted 3-2 to approve a one-year contract with Ventura County Behavioral Health to provide a dedicated Intensive Services Coordinator from the county's RISE program to work with the city and law enforcement.
Program purpose: County staff described the role as an outreach-and-engagement position embedded with local law enforcement and city staff to identify, locate and connect people experiencing homelessness and severe mental-health or substance-use disorders to county services. Ventura County staff said the coordinator's responsibilities include outreach, in-the-moment engagement on welfare and safety calls, and linking individuals to mental-health, substance-use and housing services.
Why the city sought the contract: City staff said many service calls for unhoused residents involve behavioral-health needs rather than criminal activity; dispatching law enforcement alone can leave gaps in care and continuity. The proposed RISE coordinator would be co-located and able to attend daily briefings with deputies and follow up rapidly in the field, improving continuity and reducing delays that arise when county teams must identify and locate clients afterward.
Funding and scope: The contract is for one year with the possibility of renewal; staff said half of the cost is eligible for reimbursement under the city's currently pending Encampment Recovery Fund (ERF) grant application and other state sources, but the exact dollar figure was not specified in the meeting report. County representatives and the Chief of Police told the council the model is already in use elsewhere and that embedding a county behavioral-health specialist with law enforcement has improved referrals and outcomes.
Council vote: The measure passed 3-2. Mayor Pro Tem Lang, Mayor Mary Gilman and Council Member Ruhl voted yes; Council Member Whitman and Council Member May voted no. Supporters argued embedding specialized outreach staff will improve care and public-safety outcomes; dissenters expressed concern that the county should supply more services and sought clearer long-term funding commitments.
Ending: County officials said the county already dispatches mobile crisis teams 24/7 for emergencies and that the RISE coordinator would augment that service with a daytime, embedded outreach presence; the council directed staff to pursue the contract and continue negotiation with County partners about longer-term funding and program scope.
