COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Human Services Agency

DATE:

February 26, 2003

BOARD MEETING DATE:

March 25, 2003

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

FROM:

Maureen D. Borland, Director, Human Services Agency

Yvonne Frazier, Administrator, Alcohol and Other Drug Services

SUBJECT:

Strategic Plan for San Mateo County Alcohol and Other Drug Services for 2003/2004

Recommendation

Adopt a Resolution accepting the Strategic Plan for San Mateo County Alcohol and Other Drug Services for 2003/2004.

Background

On September 15, 1998, the Board of Supervisors accepted The Strategic Plan for Alcohol and Drug Services for San Mateo County. The plan outlined priority projects for funding and included a number of problems and barriers identified in the planning process. The plan included a seven-year phased-in vision for implementation of additional treatment services needed to meet community needs. At that time, the Board of Supervisors made a commitment to increase the availability of substance abuse treatment services in the County. Since that time, two progress reports were completed as updated companion documents to the Strategic Plan.

San Mateo County Alcohol and Other Drug Services (SMCADS) began a new strategic planning process in May 2002 in order to address the current economic climate, emerging service needs and changing demographics of our population. The two-year Strategic Plan for San Mateo County Alcohol and Other Drug Services for 2003/2004 (Strategic Plan) is the culmination of the energy and commitment the numerous individuals who provided input to the planning process through participation in meetings and community forums. The strategic directions derived from this process address service gaps and needs and propose action steps we can take in moving towards a healthier community.

Discussion

The development of the Strategic Plan included a series of assessment meetings with key stakeholder groups that achieved the following tasks: review and refine the mission statement; identify local, state, and national external factors; identify strengths, limitations, opportunities, and threats; and identify best practices/emerging research. These groups developed the basis for the assessment analysis in this plan. The key stakeholder groups included the Alcohol and Other Drug/Tobacco Prevention Program Policy Team, the Drug and Alcohol Advisory Board, Alcohol and Other Drug Treatment and Prevention Providers, and SMCADS staff.

In addition, community forums were held at three different Human Services Agency regional offices in December 2002. The meetings were held in the Central Region in Belmont, the Southern Region in Redwood City, and in the Northern Region in Daly City. The purpose of the community forums was to review the assessment analysis developed for the strategic plan, and to engage in a dialogue with the participants. Through this review and dialogue, the participants were asked to identify and prioritize strategic directions for SMCADS in the upcoming years, and to identify steps for implementation of the strategic plan.

The strategic directions were developed based upon realistic expectations of what can be accomplished, taking into consideration the current economic and budget outlook. They include prioritizing issues related to service capacity, improving linkages, promoting community education and advocacy, and improving client/participant outcomes. It is also our intent to develop specific strategies that will maximize revenue streams to support the goals of the Strategic Plan.

Performance Measures

SMCADS is in compliance with the Human Services Agency’s Outcome Based Management (OBM) Program Plan. Below are the recommended Performance Measures included in the OBM Program Plan for alcohol and drug prevention and treatment services.

Outcome Based Management Performance Measures: Prevention

Fiscal Year

2001-02 Data

Projected for

Fiscal Year 2002-03

Number of participants served in school-linked and youth development alcohol and drug prevention programs.

911

716*

Number of participants served in education/outreach alcohol and drug prevention programs.

27,264

11,222*

% of youth (6^th grade and above) in alcohol and drug prevention programs who report abstinence or reduction in the use of alcohol, tobacco and other drugs in the past 30 days.

71%

71%*

* These projections are conservative estimates based on a 31 % reduction in available funding for prevention services in

FY 2002-03 and the restructuring of the prevention system design. These projections were revised in February 2003

to include the additional number of youth to be served through the Safe and Drug Free Schools and Communities grants.

Outcome Based Management Performance Measures: Treatment

Fiscal Year

2001-02 Data

Projected for

Fiscal Year 2002-03

Number of clients entering treatment (all modalities except methadone services)

4,357

4,100

Percent of clients reducing or abstaining from alcohol and/or other drug use at 3

3 months

78%

3 months

78%

months and 9 months after intake.

9 months

78%

9 months

78%

Percent of criminal justice involved clients retained in treatment or until completion of program.

50%

50%

Vision Alignment

The goals of the Strategic Plan are consistent with the commitment to: Ensure basic health and safety for all and goal number 8: Help vulnerable people – the aged, disabled, mentally ill, at-risk youth and others – achieve a better quality of life. The Strategic Plan contributes to this commitment and goal by developing and improving the service delivery system in order to better provide individuals and families in San Mateo County with the skills and knowledge necessary to live alcohol and drug free lives, which in turn contributes to the health and safety of the communities in San Mateo County.

Fiscal Impact

For FY 2003-04, the impact of the State and County budget processes will have an effect on the types and levels of services that will be available to the community. The extent of the financial impact on our system is unknown at this time.

The strategic directions and priorities set within the Strategic Plan will guide us as we face the impact of state and County reductions on our services. Other funding sources such as grants may help in the short-run, but we will need to address the long-term issues of seeking permanent on-going funding to maintain the current service capacity and ensure a continuum of care.

Substance use and dependency impacts costs throughout County systems and in the community. Prioritizing substance abuse prevention and treatment services can reduce costs in other County systems such as criminal justice, child welfare, mental health, and health.