REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
August 25, 2020
FROM
VERONICA KELLEY, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Grant Award from the California Department of Health Care Services for the Federal McKinney Projects for Assistance in Transition for Homelessness Program 2020-21
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept grant award, in the amount of $507,750 from the California Department of Health Care Services for continued funding of the Federal McKinney Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness program, which provides behavioral health services to consumers who have a serious mental illness, or who have co-occurring serious mental illness and substance use disorder, and who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless, for the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021.
2. Designate the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health, as the County Mental Health Director, to execute and submit any subsequent non-substantive amendments to this grant award for the Federal McKinney Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness program, as required by the California Department of Health Care Services, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health, as the County Mental Health Director, to transmit all documents and amendments in relation to the Federal McKinney Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness program to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Veronica Kelley, Director, 388-0801)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
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 Federal McKinney Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) program grant award in the amount of $507,750 requires a match of $1 for each $3 of PATH program funding received. The Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) will provide the required match of $169,250 through in-kind services provided by staff whose positions are financed by Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funds. The total program cost is $677,000 (PATH program funding + match). The staff associated with the match provide services that include targeted outreach, planning and coordination to housing situations, linkage to behavioral health services in community settings, referrals for mental health medication support services, integration with health services, job training and education services. This use of MHSA funded positions to meet the match is in compliance with MHSA regulations. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2020-21 budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
PATH is a formula grant program, which provides funding for the provision of services to individuals who are suffering from a serious mental illness, or from a co-occurring serious mental illness and substance use disorder and are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless. DBH will use the PATH program funding to provide outreach, planning and coordination for housing situations, linkage to behavioral health services including medication support, job training, education services, and case management services to an estimated 225 unduplicated clients county-wide at an annual estimated total program cost of $3,008 per individual.
The federal government provides the funds for the PATH grant; while the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is responsible for the administration of the entire program for California including the distribution of PATH funds. In California, only county mental health departments are eligible to receive PATH funds from DHCS. DBH has received PATH funding since the inception of the PATH grant program in 1990.
On May 19, 2020 (Item No. 27), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved DBH’s submission of the PATH grant renewal application to DHCS, in the amount of $507,750, for the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021.
On June 16, 2020, DBH received the grant award notice from DHCS approving DBH’s PATH grant application, in the amount of $507,750, for the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021.
DBH is requesting approval for the DBH Director, as the County Mental Health Director, to execute and submit any subsequent non-substantive revisions and/or amendments to the grant documents, as required by the State, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel. This item is being presented at this time as this is the first Board date available following receipt of the notification letter and required DBH Administrative reviews. Approval of the grant award by the Board at this time will have no impact on DBH’s grant related services and activities.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Natalie Kessee, Contracts Manager, 388-0869) on July 27, 2020; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on July 27, 2020; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on July 31, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Tanya Bratton, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on August 5, 2020.