SANTA MONICA—On Wednesday, October 23 the city of Santa Monica indicated in a press release that the Santa Monica City Attorney’s Office, in partnership with the Police and Housing and Human Services departments, was awarded nearly $8 million in grant funding to create SaMo Bridge, a diversion program designed to focus on rehabilitation in place of incarceration.
At Tuesday’s meeting, the Santa Monica City Council authorized the city manager to accept the grant and execute the grant agreement. SaMo Bridge will build on the city’s ongoing work to address homelessness and public safety, adding a new tool for law enforcement to offer services and resources to low level offenders before individuals enter the criminal justice system.
“We are working hard to leverage outside resources and find alternate resolutions to end the underlying conditions that result in criminal behavior,” said Chief Deputy City Attorney for the Criminal Prosecution Unit Jenna Grigsby. “The earlier you make contact with someone, the less likely they are going to get caught in a revolving door of criminal behavior and incarceration based on underlying conditions like mental health, substance abuse, and homelessness.”
A key component of SaMo Bridge is a “respite hub,” where law enforcement officers can take someone who would have otherwise been arrested or cited. The 24-hour, seven-day-a-week hub will allow for individuals to immediately be connected with case managers in a warm handoff.
“Being able to offer immediate services is critical,” said Housing and Human Services Director Heather Averick. “To have a place to take someone – that isn’t jail – where they can immediately be connected with case managers and resources gives people a chance to pursue a different path that leads to housing, treatment, and stability.”
Individuals at the hub will be able to enroll in 90-day care coordination plans. The city is working with Exodus Recovery, Inc., a city partner on STEP Court, on an agreement where resource navigators would use their extensive network of regional resources to match the individual with regional treatment programs, housing, and services they need. If individuals complete a 90-day care coordination plan, the City Attorney will dismiss citations and cases.
“We know that in some if not most cases of low-level offenses, jail is not a beneficial option, particularly when treatment for addiction or mental illness is needed,” said Chief of Police Ramon Batista. “We need to get these individuals out of the environment that is feeding their problem and connect them with case managers and service providers. We believe that SaMo Bridge is a critical resource to keep people from cycling in and out of the criminal justice system with no improvement in their behavior or condition.”
The program adds to Santa Monica’s existing portfolio of diversion initiatives, including STEP Court, the Alternatives to Incarceration Pre-Filing Diversion Program and Retail Theft Diversion, which provide access to resource navigation as well as the chance to prevent criminal charges from being filed.
For more information on homelessness services and resources in Santa Monica, visit www.santamonica.gov/connect-with-homelessness-services.
By Trevor