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Butte County approves nine forensic behavioral-health positions and $1.45M grant-funded mobile crisis campaign
Summary
The Board of Supervisors approved nine term positions for forensic behavioral-health teams to expand jail-to-community services and accepted $1,454,648 in grant funds for a mobile crisis marketing campaign and an RV purchase; staff said neither action uses the county general fund.
The Butte County Board of Supervisors on Feb. 11 approved a staffing expansion and a grant-funded marketing and outreach package aimed at strengthening mental-health responses for people leaving county jails.
Behavioral Health Director Scott Kennelly asked the board to add nine term positions — three counselors, five clinicians and one clinical supervisor — to bolster forensic specialty teams that screen, treat and report for people exiting correctional settings. Kennelly said best practices favor a single team doing screening, treatment and court reporting. He told the board the annual cost is estimated at $819,709, with $410,000 attributable to the current fiscal year; the positions are funded by the Community Corrections Partnership (CCP) and “have no impact to the county general fund,” he said.
The board also approved a separate, grant-funded budget amendment of $1,454,648 to promote and support the county's mobile crisis program. Kennelly said the award includes $1,229,648 for a multimedia marketing campaign (digital, radio, billboards, transit and printed materials in English, Spanish and Hmong) and $225,000 to purchase a mobile crisis RV to attend community events and respond to crises. He said the money must be spent by June 30, 2025, or returned to the state.
Supervisors asked routine budget and procurement questions, including whether the vehicle would be managed through county fleet services and whether the vendor selection followed a request-for-proposal process; Kennelly said the RFP produced multiple respondents and the selected firm has local operations in Chico. The board moved and approved both items by voice vote.
Kennelly: “This will give much needed attention to raising awareness about crisis services and behavioral health supports,” he said.
The actions are intended to expand timely access to mental-health care for people in the justice system and to raise public awareness of crisis services in multiple languages. The county will return any unspent grant funds to the state at fiscal year end.
What comes next: departments will proceed with hiring for the term positions and execute the advertising contract and vehicle purchase under the grant terms; supervisors asked staff to monitor ongoing costs and procurement steps.
