Biden Releases New Crime Bill
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NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF COUNTIES ■ WASHINGTON, D.C. VOL. 39, NO. 21 ■ NOVEMBER 12, 2007 Senate boots Farm bill biggest moves to funding bill Senate fl oor back to House BY MARILINA SANZ ASSOCIATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR BY DARIA DANIEL AND MARILINA SANZ ASSOCIATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTORS After months of negotiations, the Senate Agriculture, Nutrition and Even though House and Sen- Forestry Committee has fi nished ate conferees quickly agreed on a its work the 2007 Farm Bill, the Labor/HHS appropriations bill Food and Energy Security Act. The and the House readily approved the Senate was expected to begin debate conference agreement, the measure on the fi ve-year, $288-billion piece hit a bump when it got to the Senate of legislation Nov. 5. and has been returned to the House One of NACo’s priorities in for yet another vote. this bill is the rural development title. This title provides $400 million See APPROPS page 2 in budget authority for several initia- tives that will enhance life in rural QuickTakes communities. Mandatory funding was included for community facili- ties such as day care centers, rural hospitals and libraries. The title enhances rural broad- StatesStates withwith band initiatives and creates two thetthehe LargestLLargestargest PercentagePPercentageercentage new programs to assist rural com- ofof Foreign-bornForeign-born ResidentsResidents munities with planning grants and As smoke streams across the Pacifi c, a NOAA satellite image shows the magnitude of the wildfi res which provide technical assistance for raged in Southern California the week of Oct. 21. According to California state offi cials, at least 518,021 entrepreneurs. Mandatory funding California . 28% acres, or 800 square miles were burned in October’s wildfi re outbreak. There were seven fatalities and is also provided to help alleviate New York . 11.8% 3,177 structures destroyed. Texas . 9.8% See FARM BILL page 5 Florida . 8.9% Source: Census Bureau Report – 2003 Biden releases new Crime Bill INSIDE >> BY DONALD MURRAY outlines a new housing assistance particular emphasis on protecting SENIOR LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR program to attract and retain federal children and providing resources law enforcement offi cers. to communities to deal with pre- Sen. Joe Biden, Jr. (D-Del.), S. 2237 would establish a new crime intervention, violent crimes chairman of the Senate Subcom- National Commission on Law and gangs. mittee on Crime and Drugs, Enforcement and Administration of These include changes to Head recently released his anti-crime Justice. The commission would be Start, strengthening programs tar- package, S. 2237 — The Crime charged with reviewing the role of geting babies and the very young, Control and Prevention Act of policing in the U.S., anticipating chal- and specifi c gang abatement pro- 2007. Of particular note, the pack- lenges in policing and issuing detailed grams. It has provisions dealing with On the green frontier: there’s age includes NACo’s concept of a recommendations to Congress. The juvenile justice programs including recycling and then there’s reusing. national commission to examine U.S. attorney general would appoint grants for specialized training pro- >> Page 6 and analyze the intergovernmental its members after consulting with grams for juvenile court justices. dimensions of jailing the non- federal, state and local law enforce- S. 2237 has a title dedicated Proposed regulations threaten violent mentally ill. ment offi cials who have demonstrated to reducing recidivism and its mental health services. >> Page 2 This is a very ambitious and com- expertise in policing, counterter- impacts on communities. It takes prehensive bill. Among other things, rorism, intelligence sharing, court on improving drug control and Acts of Caring nominations coming it strengthens the Community-Ori- administration, prison management, treatment programs, and improves soon. >> Page 3 ented Policing program (primarily prisoner reentry, drug treatment or the gun control statues and addresses an urban program), authorizes more protection of civil liberties. technology crimes. More green frontier: NACo offers agents for the FBI and the Drug The bill has an entire title on energy tracking. >> Page 5 Enforcement Administration and preventing violent crime with a See CRIME page 6 2 November 12, 2007 CCountyountyNNewsews • Proposed regulations threaten county mental health systems BY PAUL V. B EDDOE hospitalizations and several lengthy in serving their communities. of federal Medicaid for therapeutic Over time, with the intensive, ASSOCIATE LEGISLATIVE DIRECTOR stays in a state psychiatric hospital. It In most states, counties — along foster care. sometimes daily support from wasn’t until Julie engaged with John- with other local authorities — are Under therapeutic foster care members of the ACT team, John David Wiebe, the executive direc- son County Mental Health Center responsible for providing essential arrangements, children are placed has learned to treat and control his tor of the Johnson County, Kan. and began receiving community- mental health, developmental dis- with foster parents who have received schizophrenia, stay on his medica- Mental Health Center, is worried. based services, such as intensive case ability and substance abuse services specialized training. By eliminating tions and out of trouble. After two New Medicaid regulations proposed management, supported education for vulnerable and disabled residents. this treatment option, the proposed and a half years, he has even been able in August by the Bush administra- and supported housing, that her life Local authorities contribute well over rule would lead to more costly to begin to repair his relationships tion would limit his department’s began to change. $15 billion to behavioral health and placements such as psychiatric in- with his family. “The real benefi t of fl exibility. Julie’s depression began to sub- developmental disability services stitutions. [programs offered under the Rehab The new rules, if implemented, side and she slowly became more in both Medicaid-match and non- Cruz Vallarta, leader of a fo- Option] is that they help people who would essentially cut off funds for hopeful about her life. With this Medicaid services. rensic case management team in have been in trouble all their lives,” the successful programs he and his newfound outlook on life and sup- In 22 states, counties either Bexar County, Texas, recalls fi rst said Vallarta. dedicated staff have developed to port from the mental health center, directly or indirectly provide a range encountering John (not his real NACo and its mental health serve the county’s approximately Julie applied and was accepted into of behavioral health services — such name) during the Hurricane Katrina affi liate the National Association 900 adults with severe and disabling college and for four and a half years as mental health, addictions, mental crisis. The police had been called of County Behavioral Health mental illness, the majority of whom worked on her bachelor’s degree. retardation and developmental dis- because John, 40 years old, six feet and Developmental Disability have long histories of extended Today, Julie is a graduate of the Uni- ability services — to 70 percent of and four inches tall, weighing 300 Directors (NACBHDD) both institutional or hospital care. versity of Kansas and is a full-time the U.S. population. pounds, was on the third fl oor of a submitted comments opposing Wiebe, who chairs NACo’s employee with a small company in In 18 states, county-sponsored local hotel throwing things at people the proposed Medicaid regulation Health Steering Committee Sub- Johnson County. behavioral health authorities ensure on the ground. changes in October. While the committee on Behavioral Health, Julie continues to struggle from delivery of substance abuse services Vallarta was able to use appropri- administration considers public puts a human face on the regulatory time to time with episodes of her to 60 percent of the U.S. population. ate crisis intervention training to comments as part of its formal controversy by telling the story of mental illness but with the support County-sponsored local authorities convince John to see a doctor the rulemaking process, Congress one of the Health Center’s clients, of her family, friends and the mental are also responsible in 15 states for the next day and avoid going to jail. has indicated its opposition to Julie (not her real name). health center she is able to live inde- delivery of developmental disability The intervention enabled him to the new regulations by including Julie’s early adulthood was pendently and maintain a hopeful services that reach more than 50 receive Forensic Assertive Com- a moratorium on its implementa- marred with the onset of a severe outlook on life. percent of the U.S. population. munity Treatment (FACT) for his tion in the bill reauthorizing the and persistent mental illness, which The proposed rule restricting In 13 states, all or some of the schizophrenia, delusions, substance State Children’s Health Insurance resulted in severe depressive episodes Medicaid rehabilitation services (or counties are responsible for child abuse and related problems. Program (SCHIP). with feelings of worthlessness and “Rehab Option” rule) would prohibit welfare and foster care. several suicide attempts. The com- covering the full range of services More than 800,000 children bination of her illness and her self- that allow individuals like Julie to receive Medicaid because they are In Case