Pubdate: Sun, 21 Jan 2001
Source: San Diego Union Tribune (CA)
Copyright: 2001 Union-Tribune Publishing Co.
Contact:  PO Box 120191, San Diego, CA, 92112-0191
Fax: (619) 293-1440
Website: http://www.uniontrib.com/
Forum: http://www.uniontrib.com/cgi-bin/WebX
Author: Greg Moran, Staff Writer

$4.5 MILLION OF PROP. 36 DRUG FUNDS FOR COUNTY

Measure Lets Many Users Get Treatment Instead Of Jail

San Diego County will receive $4.5 million from the state to plan new ways 
of treating drug offenders under Proposition 36, the sweeping measure 
approved by voters in November that mandates treatment instead of jail time.

The money is the county's share of an initial $60 million allocated 
statewide for counties to prepare new programs, expand existing ones and 
hire employees to comply with thousands of cases expected to flow through 
the system.

Exactly how many new cases are involved is still not known. However, county 
officials are using a figure of 3,500 per year coming through the courts 
because of the measure, said Vaughn Jeffery, a project manager with the 
county who is coordinating much of the planning.

That figure could change, he said. And there are those who think the impact 
will eventually be far greater. The Probation Department estimates a 
caseload of 10,000 in two years. "It's a fluid number that can change," 
said Deputy District Attorney Lori Koster, coordinator of the office's drug 
court unit.

Proposition 36 requires drug treatment for first-and second-time nonviolent 
offenders arrested on drug possession charges, as well as treatment for 
some parole violators.

It provides $120 million a year in state funds for treatment programs and 
other services.

The measure, approved by 61 percent of the voters, is widely seen as the 
nation's boldest move away from the drug war's emphasis on punishment for 
drug offenses and toward a model that emphasizes treatment.

Because of that, it is being watched by both those who advocate revising 
drug laws and those who say treatment without the threat of incarceration 
is a step backward.

The measure takes effect July 1, so court and county officials are hustling 
to line up treatment space.

"We are going to need a full range of treatment options," said Al Medina, 
alcohol and drug services administrator for the county. "There won't be a 
cookie-cutter approach to this."

The $4.5 million represents 7.5 percent of the amount available. It is the 
second-largest amount allocated to counties in the state, trailing only the 
$15 million awarded to the sprawling Los Angeles court system.

Medina said court and county officials are focusing on several key issues:

Surveying the more than 50 organizations that contract with the county to 
provide treatment services to determine their current capacity and how much 
they can expand.

It is not yet known whether the system can handle an additional 3,500 
patients, Medina said. There are now about 14,000 people in treatment 
programs supervised by the county, he said.

Initial estimates are that 20 percent of the new cases will require 
inpatient residential treatment, with the rest treated on an outpatient basis.

Establishing residential treatment facilities can be expensive, 
time-consuming and controversial.

"That is going to be a major issue," said Dr. Bill Mead, clinical director 
for Mental Health Systems, which runs treatment programs for the county's 
drug courts in Vista, El Cajon and Chula Vista. Mead said even expanding 
outpatient facilities -- such as neighborhood centers -- can be difficult 
because of city zoning laws and neighborhood opposition.

Budgeting and staffing. Medina said a budget allocating the funds will be 
presented to the Board of Supervisors Feb. 27.

Meanwhile, officials must determine how many additional probation officers 
and treatment center staffers will be needed, he said.

The Legislature will be asked for more money, said Chief Probation Officer 
Alan Crogan. The proposition provided no funds for drug testing, which many 
officials say is crucial to successful rehabilitation.

Crogan said state funds will be sought to pay for testing. In addition, the 
Legislature will be asked to help fund the cost of probation officers 
supervising Proposition 36 cases, he said.

All of this will have to be worked out in the coming months.

"There are still a lot of unknowns," said Mead, who said treatment 
providers are watching the county planning closely. "People really are not 
sure yet how all of this is going to roll out."
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