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RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE: (1) AN AMENDMENT TO LEASE NUMBER 4653 AND ASSOCIATED LAND USE PLAN WITH THE BOARD OF TRUSTEES OF THE INTERNAL IMPROVEMENT TRUST FUND OF THE STATE OF FLORIDA FOR THE PROPERTY LOCATED AT 2200 NW 7TH AVENUE, MIAMI, FLORIDA 33127 COMMONLY REFERRED TO AS THE MENTAL HEALTH CENTER (�CENTER�), (2) AN AMENDMENT TO THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY DESIGNATED RECEIVING SYSTEM PLAN, AND (3) ANY OTHER ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTS AND AGREEMENTS WITH THRIVING MIND SOUTH FLORIDA, INC., STATE OF FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF CHILDREN AND FAMILIES (�DCF�), OFFICE OF THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY SHERIFF, AND MIAMI-DADE COUNTY ASSOCIATION OF CHIEFS OF POLICE, AS WELL AS EXERCISE THE PROVISIONS SET FORTH THEREIN TO FURTHER THE PURPOSES SET FORTH HEREIN; SUBJECT TO THE EXECUTION OF SUCH AMENDMENTS, APPROVING AND AUTHORIZING NON-COMPETITIVE DESIGNATED PURCHASE PURSUANT TO SECTION 2-8.1(B)(3) OF THE COUNTY CODE BY A TWO-THIRDS VOTE OF THE BOARD MEMBERS PRESENT FOR CONTRACTS WITH: (1) THE VILLAGE SOUTH, INC., AND ITS PARENT COMPANY WESTCARE FOUNDATION, INC., IN A TOTAL AMOUNT UP TO $27,218,627.00, FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM WITH AN ADDITIONAL 180-DAY EXTENSION PERIOD AND ONE OPTION TO RENEW FOR A TWO-YEAR TERM; AND (2) THE ADVOCATE PROGRAM INC., IN A TOTAL AMOUNT UP TO $4,169,861.00, FOR A THREE-YEAR TERM AND ONE OPTION TO RENEW FOR A TWO-YEAR TERM, ALONG WITH ADDITIONAL ESTIMATED OPERATING COSTS TO THE COUNTY NOT TO EXCEED $14,298,639.00, DURING THE THREE-YEAR TERM OF BOTH AGREEMENTS, IN A TOTAL AMOUNT UP TO $45,687,127.00, FOR THE PROVISION OF SERVICES AT THE CENTER; WAIVING USER ACCESS PROGRAM FEE AND RESOLUTION NO. R-130-06; APPROVING THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY OPIOID FUNDING DISBURSEMENT AND IMPLEMENTATION PLAN (�PLAN�) THAT PROVIDES FOR THE ALLOCATION OF CERTAIN FUNDING MIAMI-DADE COUNTY RECOVERS IN IN RE: NATIONAL PRESCRIPTION OPIATE LITIGATION OR ANY RELATED MATTER (�OPIOID FUNDING�) FOR A TERM COMMENCING IN FISCAL YEAR 2025-2026 AND ENDING ON SEPTEMBER 30, 2031; AUTHORIZING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO; (1) APPLY FOR, RECEIVE, AND EXPEND FUNDING FOR THE PURPOSES DESCRIBED HEREIN, SUBJECT TO CERTAIN LIMITATIONS; (2) EXECUTE AGREEMENTS AND DOCUMENTS NECESSARY FOR RECEIPT AND EXPENDITURE OF SUCH FUNDING; (3) NEGOTIATE AND EXECUTE AGREEMENTS WITH THE ELEVENTH JUDICIAL CIRCUIT COURT IN AND FOR MIAMI-DADE COUNTY AND OTHER GOVERNMENT AGENCIES AS NECESSARY FOR DIVERSION OF INDIVIDUALS TO THE CENTER AND OPERATION OF A COURTROOM WITHIN THE CENTER; (4) EXERCISE THE PROVISIONS SET FORTH IN ALL SUCH CONTRACTS, AGREEMENTS, AND OTHER DOCUMENTS AUTHORIZED HEREIN; (5) EXPEND OPIOID FUNDING AS DESCRIBED IN THE PLAN; AND (6) SUBMIT THE PLAN TO DCF; AMENDING RESOLUTION NO. R-786-24 TO REPLACE REFERENCES TO WESTCARE FLORIDA, INC.; DIRECTING THE COUNTY MAYOR OR COUNTY MAYOR�S DESIGNEE TO ISSUE AND AWARD AN EXPEDITED REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR MENTAL HEALTH AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDER OUTPATIENT TREATMENT SERVICES, TRANSITIONAL HOUSING AND SUPPORTIVE SERVICES AT THE CENTER; REQUIRING CERTAIN RESEARCH AND DATA COLLECTION, PROTOCOLS, RECORDKEEPING, OVERSIGHT, USE PLANS, BIANNUAL REVIEWS AND REPORTS, RECOMMENDATIONS FROM THE MIAMI-DADE COUNTY BEHAVIORAL HEALTH ADVISORY BOARD AND EVALUATION AND ANNUAL REPORTS PERTAINING TO CERTAIN POPULATIONS SERVED AT THE CENTER; AND ESTABLISHING COUNTY POLICY PERTAINING TO CENTER FUNDING

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WHEREAS, in November of 2004, Miami-Dade County voters approved the issuance of $22,100,000.00 in general obligation bonds to fund Bond Program Project No. 193, �to free up jail space and provide an effective and cost-efficient alternative facility to house the mentally ill as they await a trial date,� at 2200 Northwest 7th Avenue, Miami, Florida (�property�); and
WHEREAS, on June 3, 2008, the Board approved Resolution No. R-637-08 for the retroactive authorization of a lease for the property with the State of Florida, as landlord, and the County, as tenant, with a proposed use as a mental health diversion facility; and
WHEREAS, since that time, the Board has approved additional funding for renovations at the property, totaling over $51 million; and
WHEREAS, in 2017, the Board approved Resolution No. R-889-17 for a sublease agreement with the County, as landlord, and South Florida Behavioral Health Network, Inc., subsequently doing business as Thriving Mind South Florida and renamed, in July 2025, and referred herein as Thriving Mind South Florida, Inc., (�Thriving Mind�), as tenant, to allow Thriving Mind to undertake planned improvements and to operate the property as a mental health diversion facility; and
WHEREAS, later, in 2022, the Board approved Resolution No. R-1125-22, authorizing the County Mayor to accept assignments from Thriving Mind of architectural services, construction, and owner�s representative contracts relating to the mental health diversion facility; and
WHEREAS, in 2024, the sublease between the County and Thriving Mind was terminated; and
WHEREAS, in 2023, the administration advertised a Request for Information for service providers for the mental health diversion facility, known as the Mental Health Center (�Center�), and received six responses; and
WHEREAS, in September of 2024, the Board approved Resolution No. R-786-24 directing the County Mayor to, among other things, negotiate agreements Village South, Inc., and its parent company WestCare Foundation, Inc., (collectively, �WestCare�), for the provision of behavioral health services at the Center, and also with the Advocate Program, Inc., (�Advocate Program�), for the provision of ancillary services at the Center; and
WHEREAS, in a memorandum dated April 21, 2026, Legistar No. 260201, the County Mayor recommended that the Board approve non-competitive contracts with WestCare and Advocate Program because �it is in the best of the County . . . as competition is not practicable because of the unique professional competencies required to operate a comprehensive mental health facility,� and as both WestCare and Advocate Program �are uniquely positioned to serve as partners to the County and to provide a full spectrum of services to the population the Center is intended to serve�; and
WHEREAS, the Board desires to open the Center and enter into negotiated agreements with WestCare and Advocate Program for a three-year period; and
WHEREAS, beyond the initial three-year period, the Board also wants to ensure there is continued collaboration between the County and various stakeholders, oversight, established measurables and research criteria, and long-term planning to ensure that the Center, once opened, has the structure, resources, and operational support needed to provide sustainable, high-quality care for our community for years to come; and
WHEREAS, the Miami-Dade County Behavioral Health Advisory Board (�Behavioral Health Advisory Board�) is uniquely positioned to assist the Board in advancing these objectives and ensuring the Center�s enduring accountability, effectiveness, and sustainability; and
WHEREAS, the Behavioral Health Advisory Board was established to assist public and private entities in addressing behavioral health needs within the community and to promote a coordinated system of care, ensure adequate service capacity, expand access to quality behavioral health and substance use disorder services, and facilitate connections to community-based resources for individuals in crisis; and
WHEREAS, consistent with such purposes, the Behavioral Health Advisory Board�s duties include reviewing and monitoring the management and operations of the Center, as such, the board will play an integral role in ensuring the Center�s accountability, effectiveness, and compliance with applicable standards of care, established service delivery models, performance objectives established by this Board, and long-term strategic goals for the delivery of behavioral health services; and
WHEREAS, this Board supports the Center and desires to establish a framework for ongoing oversight, independent evaluation, performance measurement, and long-term planning to ensure that the Center operates in a transparent, accountable, and sustainable manner and continues to meet the behavioral health needs of the community,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED BY THE BOARD OF COUNTY COMMISSIONERS OF MIAMI-DADE COUNTY, FLORIDA, that:
Section 1. This Board authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to negotiate and execute, following review and approval for form and legal sufficiency by the County Attorney�s Office: (a) an amendment to Lease Number 4653 and the associated Land Use Plan with the Board of Trustees of the Internal Improvement Trust Fund of the State of Florida, which are incorporated as Appendices to the contracts attached hereto as Exhibits 1 and 2, for the property located at 2200 NW 7th Avenue, Miami, Florida 33127, commonly referred to as the Mental Health Center (�Center�); (b) amendment to the Miami-Dade County Designated Receiving System Plan, including the Miami-Dade County Transportation Plan for Involuntary Examinations (Baker Act) and Involuntary Admissions (Marchman Act) approved in Resolution No. R-782-17; and (c) any other associated documents or agreements with Thriving Mind South Florida, Inc., (�Thriving Mind�), State of Florida Department of Children and Families (�DCF�), Office of the Miami-Dade County Sheriff, and Miami-Dade County Association of Chiefs of Police, as well as exercise the provisions set forth therein to further the purposes set forth in section 2.
Section 2. Subject to the execution of such amendments set forth in section 1, this Board finds it is in the best interest of Miami-Dade County (�County�) to approve and authorize non-competitive designated purchase pursuant to section 2-8.1(b)(3) of the Code of Miami-Dade County, Florida (�Code�) by a two-thirds vote of the Board members present for contracts with: (a) The Village South, Inc., and its parent company WestCare Foundation, Inc., (collectively �WestCare�), which is guaranteeing the Village South�s obligations in a total amount up to $27,218,627.00, for the provision of mental health services at the Center for a three-year term with the option of an additional 180-day extension period after the expiration of the three-year term, such extension shall be exercised at the sole discretion of and at no additional cost to the County, and one two-year option to renew subject to further Board approval; and (b) Advocate Program Inc. (�Advocate Program�) in a total amount up to $4,169,861.00, for the provision of ancillary services at the Center, including, but not limited to, primary care, dentistry, optometry, podiatry, vocational assistance, housing assistance, and legal services (limited to non-criminal civil legal services) for a three-year term, and one two-year option to renew subject to further Board approval, along with obligations under both agreements to the County for building operations estimated to cost the County no more than $14,298,639.00 annually over the initial three-year terms of both agreements, in a total amount up to $45,687,127.00, as provided in Attachment A, for the provision of services at the Center during the initial three-year term of the agreements, in substantially the forms attached hereto as Exhibits 1 and 2 subject to limited revisions as set forth herein. The contractual amounts for WestCare and Advocate Program as well as the County�s estimated annual cost obligations for building operations may decrease if other providers are responsible for the programming on the sixth and seventh floors as described in more detail in sections 10 and 11. This Board authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to: (x) revise the agreements with WestCare and Advocate Program, attached as Exhibits 1 and 2, respectively, to provide the County with an option to retain operational control over the sixth or seventh floors of the Center, (y) execute the contracts and, (z) except for the renewal provision in the contracts, to exercise all provisions set forth therein, subject to approval for form and legal sufficiency by the County Attorney�s Office.
Section 3. This Board finds that it is in the best interest of Miami-Dade County to waive, and hereby waives: (a) section 2-8.10 of the Code, which provides for the application of the User Access Program Fee to the contracts described in section 2; and (b) the provisions of Resolution No. R-130-06 requiring contracts with non-governmental entities to be fully negotiated and executed prior to the submittal to the Board for approval.
Section 4. This Board authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to negotiate and execute agreements, as well as exercise the provisions set forth therein, with the Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court in and for Miami-Dade County and other government agencies, including the State Attorney�s Office and the Office of the Miami-Dade County Sheriff, as may be necessary to facilitate diversion of individuals from jail and/or to operate a courtroom within the Center, subject to approval for form and legal sufficiency by the County Attorney�s Office, provided such agreements are at no cost to the County and contain terms consistent with Board policies.
Section 5. This Board authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to: (a) apply for, receive, and expend funding for the purposes described herein, subject to, (i) cash match funding must be reflected in an approved County budget as specified for this purpose or receive additional Board authority and (ii) all grant funding must comply with all existing Board policies; (b) execute agreements and documents necessary for receipt and expenditure of such funding; and (c) exercise the provisions set forth in all such contracts, agreements, and documents, subject to approval by the County Attorney�s Office as to form and legal sufficiency.
Section 6. This Board approves the Miami-Dade County Opioid Funding Disbursement and Implementation Plan (�Plan�), in substantially the form attached hereto as Exhibit 3, which provides for the allocation of the portion of funding the County recovers in In Re: National Prescription Opiate Litigation MDL No. 2804 (N.D. Ohio) or any related matter for its use (�Opioid Funding�). The Plan is for a term commencing in Fiscal Year 2025-2026 and ending on September 30, 2031.
Section 7. This Board authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to expend the Opioid Funding to support the operations of the Center, including, but not limited to: (a) Crisis Stabilization and Detoxification Services; (b) Short-Term Residential Treatment Services; and (c) Level II Residential Treatment Services. Opioid Funding may and shall only be used as authorized by the Florida Opioid Allocation and Statewide Response Agreement (�Allocation Agreement�), which is attached to Exhibit 1 as Appendix H and includes all funding allocated to the County in the City/County Fund and the funding available to the County for its use in the Regional Fund, as described more fully in the Allocation Agreement and Plan.
Section 8. This Board authorizes the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to submit the Plan to DCF in the manner required by the Allocation Agreement.
Section 9. This Board amends Resolution No. R-786-24 to replace all references to WestCare Florida, Inc., with WestCare Foundation, Inc.
Section 10. This Board directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to present an item to the Homeless Trust Board of Trustees, within 30 days of the effective date of this Resolution, recommending allocation of funding to the Board of County Commissioners for the provision of transitional housing on the sixth floor of the Center for individuals experiencing homelessness who received services at the Center. In the event the Board of County of Commissioners elects not to allocate such funding to cover all expenses associated with the provision of these services, this Board directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to expeditiously advertise a solicitation for the provision of transitional housing and supportive services on the sixth floor of the Center for individuals experiencing homelessness (the �Sixth Floor RFP�) within 60 days of the date of this Resolution. The Sixth Floor RFP shall solicit competitive proposals from providers to provide transitional housing and/or supportive services for any outstanding services on the sixth floor that are not covered by any other funding source and the resulting contract shall, at best, be revenue neutral to the County.� ? The County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee is further directed to bring back a recommendation on the Sixth Floor RFP within 120 days of the issuance thereof. Such recommendation should identify legally available funds including but not limited to bond funding, grants, or other capital improvement funds to complete the build out of the sixth floor. Additionally, the County Mayor or County Mayor's designee is directed to consult, as necessary, with outside legal bond and tax counsel if the contract resulting from the Sixth Floor RFP is anticipated to generate revenue to the County.
Section 11. This Board directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to expeditiously advertise and award a contract for mental health and substance use disorder outpatient treatment services for the seventh floor of the Center (the �Seventh Floor RFP�). The Seventh Floor RFP shall solicit competitive proposals seeking providers who shall provide services such as comprehensive substance abuse assessments, individual counseling, group counseling, family counseling, treatment planning, relapse prevention programming, cognitive behavioral therapy, peer support services, case management, and drug testing. The County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee shall advertise the Seventh Floor RFP within 60 days of the effective date of this Resolution and bring back a recommendation on the Seventh Floor RFP within 120 days of the effective date of this Resolution. Such recommendation should identify legally available funds including but not limited to bond funding, grants, or other capital improvement funds to complete the build out of the seventh floor.
Section 12. This Board directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to coordinate with WestCare, Advocate Program, Eleventh Judicial Circuit Court in and for Miami-Dade County, community partners, and other government agencies, to establish and maintain a centralized recordkeeping and outcomes monitoring system for services rendered at the Center, with the aim to collect and evaluate data necessary to measure the Center�s effectiveness, continuity of care, and long-term participant outcomes. At a minimum, the system should track: (a) the number of individuals who received services at the Center; (b) length of stay and services received or rendered; (c) successful completion and discharge outcomes; (d) post-discharge referrals and continuity of care participation; (e) number and percentage of individuals who are subsequently rearrested or returned to the criminal justice system, readmitted to the Center, or experience repeated crisis intervention encounters; (f) time intervals between discharge from the Center and subsequent contact with the criminal justice system or crisis intervention encounters; (g) number of individuals experiencing homelessness who received services at the Center; and (h) demographic and service utilization trends necessary to evaluate long-term program outcomes. Data collected and reported may be disaggregated, as appropriate and for compliance with applicable federal and state laws.
Section 13. This Board directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to, within six months following commencement of operations at the Center, negotiate an agreement with Jackson Health System or its designee, for a biannual independent operational and clinical review of the Center and its service delivery model, utilizing data collected through the recordkeeping and outcomes monitoring system established in section 11, and to place the fully negotiated agreement on an agenda of the full Board for approval without committee review pursuant to rule 5.06(j) of the Board�s Rules of Procedure. The biannual review should evaluate, at a minimum, (a) utilization and occupancy rates of all beds and programs; (b) diversion outcomes from the criminal justice system; (c) clinical outcomes and continuity of care; (d) behavioral health and substance use treatment performance indicators; (e) financial sustainability and funding utilization; (f) the coordination among the County and its service providers and community partners; (g) number and percentage of individuals who are subsequently rearrested or returned to the criminal justice system, readmitted to the Center, or experience repeated crisis intervention encounters; and (h) recommendations for operational improvements, expansion, modification, continuation, or restructuring of services.
Section 14. This Board directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to provide a biannual report reviewing the operations at the Center, and, when implemented, incorporating the findings and recommendations made by Jackson Health System or its designee. Such report shall include: (a) year-over-year performance metrics, including total admitted and discharged participants and recidivism or re-engagement rates; (b) program outcomes and return on investment; (c) funding status and projected sustainability; (d) review of service providers identified in section 1; (e) recommended changes to service levels and/or recommendations about program changes for the subsequent program year; and (f) other relevant information. The first report shall be placed on an agenda of the full Board, without committee review pursuant to rule 5.06(j) of the Board�s Rules of Procedure, within 12 months of the effective date of the agreement referenced in section 12. Thereafter, subsequent biannual reports shall be placed on an agenda of the full Board in the same manner every six months. Upon placement on an agenda of the full Board, each report shall be transmitted to the Miami-Dade County Behavioral Health Advisory Board (�BHAB�) for its review and consideration.
Section 15. Prior to the implementation of any administrative or operational adjustments not contemplated by the agreements with WestCare and Advocate Program or by this resolution, this Board directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to present such proposed adjustments to the BHAB for its consideration, approval, and recommendation for implementation to this Board. Thereafter, the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee shall transmit the BHAB�s recommendation to the full Board for its consideration. Additionally, this Board directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to, within six months following commencement of operations at the Center, provide the BHAB a biannual report identifying all administrative or operational adjustments authorized under the agreements and undertaken at the Center.
Section 16. After the Center has been operational for 365 days, and annually thereafter, this Board directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to evaluate the utilization of the Center by individuals experiencing homelessness and submit a report to the Board that at a minimum, shall include: (a) the percentage of individuals served by the Center who were experiencing homelessness; (b) the types of services provided to such individuals; (c) the average duration of services received by such individuals at the Center; and (d) an assessment of whether the Homeless Trust�s funding contribution should be reassessed and renegotiated based on the populations served at the Center. If such�a reassessment is determined to be necessary, the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee shall transmit a request to the Homeless Trust for the Homeless Trust Board of Trustees to take action recommending allocation of the new funding amount and the action of the Homeless Trust Board of Trustees shall be included in the report. Said report shall be placed on an agenda of the full Board within 90 days thereafter without committee review pursuant to rule 5.06(j) of the Board�s Rules of Procedure.
Section 17. This Board establishes, as County policy, that core County services including, but not limited to public safety, parks, public works, and transit must be fully funded and not impacted by funding for the Center, and that such funding shall supplement and not supplant funding for core services. Further, this Board directs the County Mayor or County Mayor�s designee to reflect such policy in the County Mayor�s proposed Fiscal Year 2026-2027 County budget and in each subsequent County budget proposed by the County Mayor thereafter.