REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 10, 2025
FROM
GEORGINA YOSHIOKA, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Standard Agreement Template for Emergency Shelter Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Amendment No. 1 to the standard agreement template for Emergency Shelter Services, updating standard contract language, and increasing the aggregate amount by $2,006,400, from $38,971,830 to $40,978,230, with no change to the contract period of July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2028.
2. Authorize the Assistant Executive Officer or the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health to execute the amendment to the standard agreements with individual emergency shelter service providers, including any non-substantive changes to the individual standard agreements, such as site population changes, address changes, and legal name changes, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
(Presenter: Georgina Yoshioka, Director, 252-5142)
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 and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The aggregate authorized spending increase for this template of $2,006,400, will be funded by Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH), 1991 Realignment, AB 109, California Department of State Hospitals Grant, and Mental Health Service Act funds. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2024-25 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DBH is responsible for providing mental health and/or substance use disorder (SUD) services to county residents who are experiencing severe mental illness (SMI) and/or a SUD and are homeless or are at risk of becoming homeless. An integral part of the service delivery system consists of San Bernardino County (County)-operated and contracted service providers delivering a variety of behavioral health treatment services, including Emergency Shelter Services (ESS).
BHBH provided $2,006,400 to DBH to better serve individuals who have severe mental health conditions and are homeless or at risk of homelessness. Specifically, with this increase in funding, DBH will be able to serve those who are at an elevated risk due to multiple medical, mental health and substance use disorders that may otherwise need 24/7 immediate placement to leave the setting they are being treated at. As such, this funding will provide a higher bed day rate to house residents moving out of either hospitalization or custody from County detention center settings. Conventional ESS services are conducted during normal business hours, Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm, excluding all County-observed holidays. With the recommended Amendment No. 1 to the standard agreement template and additional funding, DBH will be able to expand ESS to new clients serving as a transition out of a detention or hospital setting. ESS facilities will provide mental health staff with a 72-hour window to secure a more permanent residence for the individual. This window allows the residents to overcome barriers to appropriate housing such as obtaining medical clearances, securing identification, and gathering necessary documentation. This expansion better meets the needs of this vulnerable community that would otherwise be discharged back to homelessness.
In 1985, DBH instituted the Shelter Residential Services program for homeless County residents living with a behavioral health condition or co-occurring disorder. The program since has expanded to the current Emergency Shelter Services (ESS) program, which meets the increasing need for food and shelter by County residents with SMI who are homeless or in danger of becoming homeless. ESS providers must accept individuals with a primary diagnosis of moderate to SMI, possibly having a secondary diagnosis of substance use disorder, who are chronically homeless or at risk of becoming homeless due to mental illness.
On June 27, 2023 (Item No. 40), as a result of a formal procurement, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved a Standard Agreement Template (SAT) for ESS, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $38,971,830, for the period of July 1,2023 through June 30, 2028. The item also authorized the Director of DBH Health to execute the SAT.
On March 19, 2025, upon consultation with the Purchasing Department, DBH mailed a Letter of Interest to 18 current ESS providers inviting them to apply for the provision of ESS services for clients released from County detention center(s) and/or ARMC. There were 12 agencies that responded and submitted applications for consideration. DBH reviewed these applications, found that all met the needs of the expanded ESS program, and recommended all 12 applicants for awards. Upon Board approval of this item, the Assistant Executive Officer or the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health will be authorized to execute amendments to the standard agreements with the individual ESS providers.
PROCUREMENT
Not Applicable
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Lisa Rivas-Ordaz, Contracts Supervisor, 386-8264) on May 8, 2025; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 15, 2025; Purchasing (Jessica Barajas, Supervising Buyer, 387-2065) on May 19, 2025; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on May 22, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on May 22, 2025.