FIND IT

Public Safety Council for Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse

The Public Safety Council for Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse assists the Board of County Commissioners to perform and complete the duties and functions set forth in Section 394.657, Florida.

Relevant Resolutions, Ordinances, and Statutes

  • Resolution 2016-101 approved October 4, 2016, established the Public Safety Council for Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse, pursuant to the authority and procedures of Section 394.657, Florida Statutes.
  • Florida Statutes, Section 394.657 governs the establishing of the committee members, positions, and authority.

Terms, Meetings, and Membership

The term of office for certain member positions have no term limits. Only 1 position is expressly for a 1-year term. Remaining positions have no term expiration. Per the initial discussion with Chief David E. Curry, it is contemplated that the Chief of Police position will rotate on an annual basis between the cities and the towns. Meetings are held on call at the County Administration Building B, 1800 27th Street, Vero Beach, FL in Conference Room B1-501. The Recording Secretary is Ed Offutt, Commissioner Assistant.

NOTE: The County Attorney's Office was appointed to monitor the Public Safety Council for Criminal Justice, Mental Health & Substance Abuse Committee at the July 12, 2016 Board of County Commissioners meeting. This committee cannot be sunsetted by County Commission, as this is a state mandated committee.

The Public Safety Council for Criminal Justice, Mental Health, and Substance Abuse shall be comprised of twenty (20) members. Each member shall be appointed by their appropriate municipality or designated entity. The following are the categories of the PSC-CJMHSA member positions:

  1. The state attorney, or an assistant state attorney designated by the state attorney.
  2. A public defender, or an assistant public defender designated by the public defender.
  3. A circuit judge designated by the chief judge of the circuit.
  4. A county court judge designated by the chief judge of the circuit.
  5. The chief correctional officer.
  6. The sheriff, if the sheriff is the chief correctional officer, or a person designated by the sheriff.
  7. The police chief, or a person designated by the local police chiefs association.
  8. The state probation circuit administrator, or a person designated by the state probation circuit administrator.
  9. The local court administrator, or a person designated by the local court administrator.
  10. The chairperson of the board of county commissioners, or another county commissioner designated by the chairperson, or, if the planning council is a consortium of counties, a county commissioner or designee from each member county.
  11. The director of any county probation or pretrial intervention program, if the county has such a program.
  12. The director of a local substance abuse treatment program, or a person designated by the director.
  13. The director of a community mental health agency, or a person designated by the director.
  14. A representative of the substance abuse program office and the mental health program office
    of the Department of Children and Families, selected by the substance abuse and mental health program supervisor of the district in which the county is located.
  15. A primary consumer of mental health services, selected by the substance abuse and mental health program supervisor of the district in which the primary consumer resides. If multiple counties apply together, a primary consumer may be selected to represent each county.
  16. A primary consumer of substance abuse services, selected by the substance abuse and mental health program supervisor of the district in which the primary consumer resides. If the planning council is a consortium of counties, a primary consumer may be selected to represent each county.
  17. A family member of a primary consumer of community-based treatment services, selected by the abuse and mental health program supervisor of the district in which the family member resides.
  18. A representative from an area homeless program or a supportive housing program.
  19. The director of the detention facility of the Department of Juvenile Justice, or a person designated by the director.
  20. The chief probation officer of the Department of Juvenile Justice, or an employee designated by the chief probation officer.

Voting Members

  1. Tom Bakkedahl - State Attorney or an Assistant State Attorney designated by the State Attorney
    Chris Taylor, Alternate
  2. Diamond Litty - Public Defender or an Assistant Public Defender designated by the Public Defender
    Alan Hunt - Alternate
  3. Charles A. Schwab (Chief Judge) - A circuit judge designated by the chief judge of the circuit.
    Alternate Circuit Judge – Cynthia L. Cox
  4. Nicole Menz - A county court judge designated by the chief judge of the circuit
    None - Alternate
  5. Milo Thornton (Major – IRC Sheriff) - The chief correctional officer
  6. Eric Flowers (IRC Sheriff) - The sheriff, if the sheriff is the chief correctional officer, or a person designated by the sheriff
  7. David E. Curry (Chief - Vero Beach Police Dept.) - The police chief, or a person designated by the local police chiefs association  
  8. Mike (Derine) M. Davis (Florida Dept. of Corrections – Region 4) - The state probation circuit administrator, or a person designated by the state probation circuit administrator
  9. Myra Zilahy (19th Judicial Circuit) - The local court administrator, or a person designated by the local court administrator
  10. Joseph E. Flescher (Commissioner – IRC) - The chairperson of the board of county commissioners, or another county commissioner designated by the chairperson, or, if the planning council is a consortium of counties, a county commissioner or designee from each member county
  11. Suzanne Caudell (C.O.R.E.) - The director of any county probation or pretrial intervention program, if the county has such a program
  12. Carrie Lester (Substance Abuse Awareness Center) - The director of a local substance abuse treatment program, or a person designated by the director
  13. Pat Austin (New Horizons of the Treasure Coast) - The director of a community mental health agency, or a person designated by the director
  14. Ann Berner (SEBHN - Southeast Florida Behavioral Health Network, Inc.) - A representative of the substance abuse program office and the mental health program office of the Department of Children and Families, selected by the substance abuse and mental health program supervisor of the district in which the county is located
  15. Carol Martin (Mental Health Association – IRC) - A primary consumer of mental health services, selected by the substance abuse and mental health program supervisor of the district in which the primary consumer resides. If multiple counties apply together, a primary consumer may be selected to represent each county
  16. Kathy Jones (Substance Abuse Awareness Center) - A primary consumer of substance abuse services, selected by the substance abuse and mental health program supervisor of the district in which the primary consumer resides. If the planning council is a consortium of counties, a primary consumer may be selected to represent each county
  17. Valerie Smith (NAMI - National Alliance on Mental Illness) - A family member of a primary consumer of community-based treatment services, selected by the abuse and mental health program supervisor of the district in which the family member resides
  18. Louise Hubbard (Treasure Coast Homeless Services Council, Inc.) - A representative from an area homeless program or a supportive housing program
  19. Dedilia Finlayson - The director of the detention facility of the Department of Juvenile Justice, or a person designated by the director
  20. Wydee'a E. Wilson, CPM - The chief probation officer of the Department of Juvenile Justice, or an employee designated by the chief probation officer