Mental Illness and Drug Dependency (MIDD) Oversight, Implementation and Evaluation Plans

County Council Ordinance 15949 opened the door to improving access to mental health and substance abuse treatment services and therapeutic courts by approving the Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Action Plan and a new fund source to support those programs and services.

As part of that ordinance, the council called for the development of three separate plans - an oversight plan, and implementation plan, and an evaluation plan - all of which had to be completed before any MIDD funds could be expended. The work to develop those plans was coordinated by the Mental Health, Chemical Abuse and Dependency Services Division (MHCADSD) and the Office of Management and Budget (OMB).

Oversight Plan

Per the council ordinance, the Oversight Plan was to create an ongoing oversight group to monitor the implementation of the MIDD programs and services and expenditure of the MIDD revenues. On April 28, 2008, the King County Council passed Council Ordinance 16077 approving an Oversight Plan for the Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Action Plan and establishing the MIDD Oversight Committee. The Oversight Committee was convened through a process of appointment by the King County Executive and confirmation by the King County Council.

Implementation Plan

Part two, the Implementation Plan, was approved by the council through Ordinance 16261 on October 6, 2008.

The Implementation Plan was to describe the implementation of the programs and services outlined in the Mental Illness and Drug Dependency Action Plan, including the following elements:

• a schedule of the implementation of MIDD Action Plan programs and services
• a discussion of needed resources, including staff, information and provider contracts
• milestones for implementation
• address how adult drug diversion court, one of the county's therapeutic courts, might utilize sales tax revenue for program expansion
• include a proposal for how to integrate programs that support specialized mental health or substance abuse counseling, therapy and support groups for victims of sexual assault and domestic violence provided by or in collaboration with recognized sexual assault and domestic violence providers
• a revised 2008 spending plan and financial plan for the MIDD fund

The Implementation Plan was developed in collaboration with the Oversight Committee. It includes the above elements as well as a new strategy for housing development, enabled by a change in state legislation during the 2008 session. The MIDD Implementation Plan received public review and comment and was then finalized by the Oversight Committee and MHCADSD during the second quarter of 2008 and transmitted to council on July 3, 2008. Subsequent to that action, the council reviewed and approved additional programs and services brought forward by the City of Seattle. The final revised Implementation Plan was approved by the council on October 6, 2008.

Evaluation Plan

The Evaluation Plan, the third and final plan, was approved by the council through Ordinance 16262 on October 6, 2008.

The Evaluation Plan was to describe an evaluation and reporting plan for the programs funded with the sales tax revenue, including the following elements:

• process and outcome evaluation components
• a proposed schedule for evaluations
• performance measurements and performance measurement targets
• data elements to be used for reporting and evaluations

Part three was developed in collaboration with the Oversight Committee and was posted for public review and comment before it was finalized and transmitted to the council for review on August 4, 2008. The Evaluation Plan was approved by the council on October 6, 2008. Work is continuing on performance measurement targets for key MIDD policy goals and individual performance measurement targets for each strategy in the MIDD Action Plan.

Working together, the MIDD Oversight Committee, MHCADSD and OMB staff collaborated to develop and finalize implementation and evaluation plans that will ensure that the sales tax revenue is spent in the most efficient and effectively way. Efforts to continue to improve and enhance those plans will continue over the coming months.