REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 18, 2021
FROM
VERONICA KELLEY, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title v
Emergency Shelter Services Revised Standard Template Agreement and Program Funding
End
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Authorize increased funding for emergency shelter services utilized for individual shelter service agencies to expand client access to include the Diversion Opportunity for Outpatient Recovery Services program, increasing the total aggregate amount by $361,350, from $15,242,733 to $15,604,083, for the period July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022.
2. Approve revised standard agreement template for ongoing emergency shelter services, updating standard contract language, and adding consumer referrals from the Diversion Opportunity for Outpatient Recovery Services Program, effective May 18, 2021, for the period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022.
3. Authorize the Assistant Executive Officer of Human Services, the Deputy Executive Officer of Human Services, or the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health to execute the standard agreement template with the individual emergency shelter service agencies, for the period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022, on behalf of the County.
(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 increase to the total aggregate amount of $361,350 for emergency shelter services is funded by grant funds from the State of California Department of State Hospitals for the Diversion Opportunity for Outpatient Recovery Services (DOORS) Program. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2020-21 budget and will be included in the 2021-22 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DBH is responsible for providing mental health and/or substance use disorder services to County residents who are experiencing major mental illness and/or a substance use disorder. An integral part of the service delivery system consists of County operated and contracted service providers delivering a variety of behavioral health treatment services, including emergency shelter services.
Emergency shelter services are provided through DBH contract agencies for San Bernardino County residents in need of a temporary residence while participating in comprehensive mental health and substance use disorder treatment as they work towards recovery and permanent housing. DBH utilizes a Board of Supervisors (Board) approved standard agreement template for the provision of emergency shelter services in order to maintain a pool of qualified agencies that provide these critical services. Upon Board approval, DBH will utilize the revised standard agreement template with the individual emergency shelter service agencies that includes referrals from the DOORS program, as well as increasing the aggregate amount to accommodate expanded emergency shelter services.
To be a part of DBH’s qualified emergency shelter services vendor pool, shelters must accept individuals with a primary diagnosis of moderate to severe mental illness and may have a secondary diagnosis of substance use disorder who are chronically homeless or at risk of becoming homeless due to mental illness. The target population includes transitional age youth, which includes pregnant and/or mothering youth; adults; and individuals supervised through the criminal justice system and/or presenting with a history of involvement in the criminal justice system and/or psychiatric hospital system of care.
A standard agreement template for the provision of emergency shelter services allows DBH to maintain a pool of qualified agencies in order to provide these critical services. Currently, countywide emergency shelter services are provided to consumers receiving behavioral health services through the Adult Forensic Services, Adult and Older Adult System of Care, Corrections To A Safer Community, Homeless Outreach Support Team, and Transitional Age Youth programs. The recommended revised standard agreement template will add the DOORS Program in order for these consumers to receive these emergency shelter services and updates fiscal and standard contract language.
In addition, DBH is requesting the Assistant Executive Officer of Human Services, the Deputy Executive Officer of Human Services, or the Director of Behavioral Health be able to execute the individual standard agreement templates due to the large number of contracts and the ongoing need to add more agencies to the existing qualified agency pool.
PROCUREMENT
Procurements for emergency shelter services are performed as needed due to changes in law, regulations, program requirements, and attrition of County shelter services agreements.
On May 23, 2017 (Item No. 36), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved a standard template agreement and an aggregate amount of $8,577,685 in funding for emergency shelter services to be utilized by qualified emergency shelter services agencies, for the period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022. In addition, this item authorized the Assistant Executive Officer of Human Services, the Deputy Executive Officer of Human Services, or the Director of Behavioral Health to execute the standard agreement template with the individual emergency shelter services agencies to provide these services.
On March 10, 2020 (Item No. 24) the Board authorized increased funding for emergency shelter services utilized for individual emergency shelter services agencies to expand client access, increasing the total aggregate amount by $6,665,048, from $8,577,685 to $15,242,733 for the funding period of July 1, 2017 through June 30, 2022.
Contractor performance will continue to be monitored on a regular basis to ensure compliance standards are met.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health (Ellayna Hoatson, Contracts Supervisor, 388-0858) on April 29, 2021; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on April 29, 2021; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on April 28, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Tanya Bratton, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on April 28, 2021.