REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
February 11, 2020
FROM
VERONICA KELLEY, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title v
Amendment to Contract with Lighthouse Social Service Centers for Family Stabilization Rapid Re-Housing Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. 19-326, effective February 11, 2020, with Lighthouse Social Service Centers to provide Family Stabilization Rapid Re-Housing services, increasing the total contract amount by $1,500,000, from $5,148,052 to $6,648,052, with no change to the contract period of July 1, 2019 through September 30, 2022.
(Presenter: Veronica Kelley, Director, 388-0801)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The recommended increase of $1,500,000 is funded by the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) Family Stabilization (FS) Rapid Re-Housing allocation through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) and the Transitional Assistance Department (TAD). Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in DBH’s 2019-20 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Lighthouse Social Service Centers (LSSC) provides FS Rapid Re-housing services throughout the County, assisting clients in locating and securing housing as quickly as possible. Services include “Bridge Housing” (temporary, short-term housing); Housing Search and Placement; Financial and Rental assistance; Housing Stability Case Management; Mediation services; and referrals to Legal and Credit Repair services. In addition, LSSC provides case management services in order for clients to sustain permanent housing, and focus on other areas to remove barriers to participating in Welfare-To-Work (WTW) activities, once clients have a stable living environment. During the past fiscal year, LSSC provided services to approximately 280 households, and the need for these services continues to increase. The recommend amendment to the contract will allow LSSC to provide FS Rapid Re-housing services to approximately 55 additional households annually, at an average cost of $9,051 per client/family.
California Assembly Bill 74, passed in 2013, includes a provision for funding FS services to CalWORKs clients deemed eligible because they have encountered a situation or crisis that impedes their ability to participate in WTW activities. Services are provided to clients who are identified by TAD as eligible for CalWORKs FS services and then identified by DBH staff as being in need of Rapid Re-Housing services due to domestic violence, and/or are homeless or at imminent risk of homelessness.
PROCUREMENT
On May 21, 2019 (Item No. 29), as a result of a formal procurement, the Board of Supervisors approved the contract with LSSC to provide countywide FS Rapid Re-Housing services in the amount of $5,148,052, for the period of July 1, 2019 through September 30, 2022.
The recommended amendment will increase the contract amount to allow LSSC to add Alcohol and Other Drugs counselors and therapists to assist with crisis intervention services for the clients; allow service provider to increase wages to ensure retention of well-trained staff; provide additional rental assistance and bridge housing for the growing homeless population being served through the program.
DBH will continue to monitor contractor performance to ensure performance and compliance standards are met.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Department of Behavior Health Contracts (Natalie Kessee, Contracts Manager, 388-0869) on January 14, 2020; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on January 17, 2020; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on January 24, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Tanya Bratton, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on January 24, 2020.