Proposed Sobering Center
Presentation
Public Safety Committee
February 28, 2012
Background Information
• City jail operations cost $25 million per year
 An estimated $4-6 million is attributed to public intoxication cases
• Incarcerating individuals whose only criminal behavior is public
intoxication diverts law enforcement from more serious or life threatening
crimes.
• Intoxicated individuals often pose a hazard to themselves as well as to the
general public.
• Best practices elsewhere suggest a more cost effective/long term option
approach.
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Goals of Sobering Center
• Provide an alternative to jail
• Provide triage, observation and necessary outpatient
services to manage intoxication
• Provide opportunities for long term treatment by
linking detainees to appropriate social service
agencies
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Effects of the Sobering Center
• HPD field personnel will use less time processing
this target population.
• The time savings will allow HPD field personnel to
return to their assigned neighborhoods to address
more serious crime and disorder problems.
• Will increase holding capacity in the city jail for
more serious criminals.
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Operational Details
• Officer transports person to the Sobering Center – rather than taking them
to jail; judgment by officer on suitability for the Center
• Officer completes a one page form (approximately 10 minutes) and
returns to duty; no arrest record will be made
• Person is identified, logged in and subjected to a health screen (similar to
what is currently done in the city jail)
• Person is assigned to a “bed” with males and females separated
• Person is observed by staff until sober (minimum 4 hours) determined on
case by case status
• When sober, the person will meet with a counselor to discuss how to
address affliction(s) – link to social service agencies
• When sober, person without warrants is discharged
• When sober, person with city warrants has the option to use video
arraignment (refuses option, goes to jail) then discharged
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Proposed Sobering Center Location
• A large number of potential city-wide sites were considered
based on:
 Appropriate neighborhood
 Accessibility for HPD and other police agencies
 Recognized need to be near HPD Mental Health Unit
 Availability of social services
• Houston acquired information from the following agencies:
San Antonio “Public Safety Center”
San Diego
Phoenix
Colorado Springs
Portland, Oregon
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Proposed Site
Star of Hope Facility – North Downtown
Private/Public Partnership
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Proposed Sobering Center Concept
• A 10-year lease with the Star of Hope (SOH) with two 5-year options to
extend:
 Estimated costs for lease, utilities and staff of $1.5m/annually to be in
the FY 13 budget
 SOH will build out existing facility utilizing $3m of available Public
Safety Bond funds based on City approval of design
 City will monitor construction process and expenditures
 HPD’s Mental Health Unit will co-locate on second floor of facility
 Lease will be assigned to a Public/Private Partnership
• Center will be operated as a secular Public/Private Partnership under a
service contract:
 Service contract will be signed by the Public/Private Partnership and the
City of Houston
 HPD, Health and Human Services and HFD will provide city services at
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the site
Public/Private Partnership
• City Council authorizes the creation of a Public/Private Partnership in the
form of a “Local Government Corporation” (LGC) for the Sobering
Center
 The mission of the LGC as a Public/Private Partnership will focus on
short term treatment and intervention opportunities professionally
delivered
• The LGC Board will be comprised of 5 members, including 4 directors
and a Chair
 2 City of Houston appointees
 2 SOH appointees
 Chair – to be selected by 4 Board Members
• All 5 appointees will be nominated by the Mayor and confirmed by City
Council
• A 501(c) (3) foundation will also be created to aid in future fundraising
for operations and possible future expansion
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LGC Service Contract
• The LGC Executive Director will be the key manager, reporting directly to
the LGC Board and will be responsible for all Sobering Center personnel and
operations of this secular facility
• The facility will require health screening for entering detainees and the Health
and Human Services Department will provide health screeners - which is done in
jail today
• LGC will acquire liability insurance, directors and officer insurance and other
insurance as appropriate
• LGC will contract with SOH for lead referral services (SOH has offered a
counselor at no cost)
 LGC will facilitate connections with other allied social service providers
and invite their participation
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Steps to be Taken
• March 7 – Advance funding request to complete construction
drawings including cost estimates for planning and detailing
capital improvements on City Council agenda
• End of April or earlier
 Facility lease
 Documents to create the Public/Private Partnership
(LGC)
 Operating agreement between the City and the Partnership
to include staffing and other procedural agreements and
budget basis.
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Conclusion
• The availability of and ready access to ongoing community-based
outpatient substance abuse services is a potential cost reduction and
productivity improvement step for the City.
• The activities of the Sobering Center are fully consistent with Medical
Professionals definition of the treatment of addiction as a disease.
• Sobering Centers in other cities have proven to be time savers for patrol
officers, which allows them to quickly return to their assigned
neighborhoods.
• With a successful link to social service agencies, there will be fewer
public intoxication related calls requiring officer intervention – hence
more time they can direct to other more pressing crime and disorder
issues.
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Questions
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