Department
Superior Court Administration
Requested Action (Identify appropriate Action or Motion, purpose, cost, timeframe, etc.)
title
Request approval of a Memorandum of Understanding between Fulton County, Grady Memorial Hospital Corporation d/b/a Grady Health System, Atlanta Fulton County Prearrest Diversion Initiative, Inc., and the Georgia Housing Finance and Authority on behalf of the Georgia Department of Community Affairs for information-sharing. This MOU commences upon the full execution by the authorized representatives of each Member and shall automatically renew annually for five (5) additional one (1) year terms on the anniversary of the effective date. The purpose of the MOU is to allow for information-sharing in order to divert persons with substance use and/or behavioral health challenges from the criminal justice system when appropriate and ensure that they receive access to care and needed support and services when they are involved in the criminal justice system. No funding is required. (APPROVED UPON ADOPTION OF THE CONSENT AGENDA)
body
Requirement for Board Action (Cite specific Board policy, statute or code requirement)
Pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 36-10-1, all official contracts entered into by the County governing authority with other persons on behalf of the County shall be in writing and entered on its minutes.
Strategic Priority Area related to this item (If yes, note strategic priority area below)
Justice and Safety
Commission Districts Affected
All Districts ☒
District 1 ☐
District 2 ☐
District 3 ☐
District 4 ☐
District 5 ☐
District 6 ☐
Is this a purchasing item?
No
Summary & Background (First sentence includes Agency recommendation. Provide an executive summary of the action that gives an overview of the relevant details for the item.)
Fulton County Superior Court Administration recommends approval of the MOU for information sharing related to Protected Health Information (PHI) for justice involved individuals. Through its planning period, The Fulton County Justice and Mental Health Taskforce developed a list of prioritized recommendations. The number one data related recommendation was to develop a data-sharing platform to connect behavioral health and criminal justice related information. The purpose of this data-sharing is to better coordinate the delivery, and prevent the interruption, of appropriate behavioral health, substance abuse, and housing services for justice involved individuals. In order to achieve this information sharing Court Administration has convened regular meetings with local stakeholders who wish to participate in the project, including Grady Health System, the Atlanta Fulton County Prearrest Diversion Initiative and the Georgia Department of Community Affairs, as well as the Fulton County Attorney’s Office and Tyler Technologies, to develop a MOU for information sharing. Information sharing is limited to participating agencies as well as Fulton County Superior Court Administration, Fulton County DBHDD, Fulton County Pretrial and the Fulton County Office of the Public Defender.
Scope of Work: Fulton County will support Tyler Technologies through their existing contract to build a Criminal Justice Information Services (CJIS) and HIPPA compliant data-sharing platform that will connect limited protected health information (PHI) for justice involved individuals with substance use and/or behavioral health challenges. This platform and the data shared within it will be used to better ensure that justice involved individuals have access to necessary services and care as well as to prevent the interruption of those services while in custody. Participating agencies will make a universal release of information (ROI) available at intake at those agencies, including Fulton County Jail Facilities. That ROI allows individuals to authorize limited information sharing of PHI for the purpose of improving the delivery of services related to behavioral health, substance abuse and housing for justice involved individuals.
Community Impact: Improve the delivery of behavioral health, substance abuse and housing services to individuals involved in and diverted from the criminal justice system by connecting information between providers and Fulton County.
Department Recommendation: Superior Court Administration recommends approving the MOU to improve the delivery of appropriate services to justice involved individuals in Fulton County.
Project Implications: This project is funded under the existing contract between Fulton County and Tyler Technologies.
Community Issues/Concerns: Superior Court Administration is not aware of any community concerns with the approval of this MOU.
Department Issues/Concerns: Superior Court Administration has no issues or concerns with the approval of this MOU.
Exhibits Attached (Provide copies of originals, number exhibits consecutively, and label all exhibits in the upper right corner.)
Exhibit 1: Memorandum of Understanding
Exhibit 2: Universal Release of Information (ROI)
Exhibit 3: 2021 Case Study - Redirect People from Repeat Arrests