City of Alexandria, Virginia
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MEMORANDUM
DATE: MARCH 26, 2024
TO: THE HONORABLE MAYOR AND MEMBERS OF THE CITY COUNCIL
THROUGH: JAMES F. PARAJON, CITY MANAGER /s/
FROM: KATE GARVEY, DIRECTOR,
DEPARTMENT OF COMMUNITY AND HUMAN SERVICES
DOCKET TITLE:
Title
Consideration of the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant Award to the Alexandria Community Services Board in the Department of Community and Human Services from the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services for the Implementation and ongoing Operation of the Marcus Alert Program.
BODY
ISSUE: City Council's consideration of the Community Mental Health Services Block Grant award from the Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services (DBHDS) for the Department of Community and Human Services (DCHS) to implement and provide Marcus Alert programming in our crisis services programs.
RECOMMENDATION: That City Council:
1. Authorize the acceptance of the grant award for funding to DCHS in the amount of $478,285 for the duration of this fiscal year (FY 2024) with no match required, to provide crisis programming in the community in partnership with the Alexandria Police Department (APD) and the Department of Emergency & Customer Communications (DECC);
2. Approve the addition of two full-time Human Service Specialist II positions (2 FTE) that will be fully supported by the award from the DBHDS; and
3. Authorize the City Manager to execute all necessary documents that may be required.
BACKGROUND: The DBHDS contacted the Executive Director for the Alexandria Community Services Board (ACSB) in September 2023 to discuss funding the Alexandria Marcus Alert program implementation earlier than the previously projected start of July 1, 2026. As a result of the implementation and ongoing work of the City of Alexandria's co-responding teams (ACORP) coupled with the foundational work ACSB staff has been doing to implemen...
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