REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 6, 2025
FROM
GEORGINA YOSHIOKA, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Facility Access Agreement for the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve non-financial Facility Access Agreement with California Department of Health Care Services to allow the California Department of Health Care Services access to facilities operating within the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing Program grant, in relation to the Subcontractor Agreement No. 23-1285 with Advocates for Human Potential, Inc., for the period of May 6, 2025 through June 30, 2027.
(Presenter: Georgina Yoshioka, Director, 252-5142)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) Program grant award of $27,375,170 is funded by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). The BHBH Program grant does not require a local match. Adequate appropriation and revenue are included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2024-25 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The DHCS BHBH Program signed into law in September 2022 under Assembly Bill 179, is designed to complement capital investments that address the issue of homelessness including Project Homekey, Community Care Expansion, and the Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program. The BHBH Program primarily funds operational and supportive services to expand bridge housing implementation. The primary focus of the BHBH Program is to help individuals experiencing homelessness who have severe mental illness (SMI) and/or substance use disorders (SUD) that prevent them from accessing help and securing housing.
DBH utilizes the BHBH Program grant funding to operate a variety of bridge housing programs to address the immediate and sustainable housing needs of individuals experiencing homelessness who have SMI and/or SUD. Once long-term housing goals have been established, DBH helps these individuals identify housing options and available resources, then secure housing with the assistance of housing navigation services. Housing navigation services include an assessment process that identifies potential barriers and qualifying rental subsidies, assistance with housing applications, obtaining proper paperwork, and initiating utility service. In addition, DBH will expand several programs for this vulnerable population, including Emergency Shelter Services, Recovery Residences, and hotel/motel beds.
The Emergency Shelter Services program provides temporary housing solutions for individuals experiencing SMI and SUD and are experiencing homelessness. It offers short-term shelter while individuals work with DBH staff to develop and implement long-term housing plans. The Recovery Residences program supports individuals participating in treatment services with SMI and SUD in their journey to recovery. The hotel/motel beds program is for individuals with SMI and/or SUD who can live independently while waiting for a treatment bed to become available.
On April 25, 2023 (Item No. 21), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved DBH to submit the BHBH Program grant application to DHCS in the amount of $27,375,170, for the anticipated period of July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2027.
On December 5, 2023 (Item No. 21), the Board approved Subcontractor Agreement No. 23-1285 (Subcontractor Agreement), including non-standard terms, with Advocates for Human Potential, Inc., on behalf of DHCS for the BHBH Program, to address the immediate and sustainable housing needs of individuals experiencing homelessness who have SMI and/or SUD, in the amount of $27,375,170, for the period of June 23, 2023 through June 30, 2027.
On March 25, 2025 (Item No. 18), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to the Subcontractor Agreement which adjusted the allocated implementation and infrastructure reimbursement from 25% of total grant funds to a fixed amount of $1,443,500. In addition to the change in project implementation and infrastructure funding, the cost of furnishings, appliances, and equipment are now included in reimbursable costs. Start up and infrastructure projects disbursement of funds has been added to the payment schedule to include specific invoice guidelines.
On March 6, 2025, DHCS provided DBH the Facility Access Agreement as a required separate agreement, which mandates the BHBH Subcontractor to allow access to operating facilities in relation to the Subcontractor Agreement despite similar terms of access in the Subcontractor Agreement. The item is being presented at this time, as this is the first Board date available, following receipt of the access agreement from DHCS, after the required DBH program, fiscal, administrative, and legal reviews. Approval by the Board at this time will have no impact on DBH’s services.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health (Michael Shin, Contracts Manager, 388-0899) on April 8, 2025; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 1, 2025; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on April 24, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on April 25, 2025.