REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 12, 2023
FROM
JACQUELYN GREENE, Director, Preschool Services Department
DIANE RUNDLES, Director, Human Resources Department
SUBJECT
Title
Amended Grant Award from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families for the Head Start, Early Head Start, and Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership Programs
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept and approve Amendment No. 1 (Grant Award No. 09CH011719-04-01) to Contract No. 23-846, with the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families for continued support of the Head Start, Early Head Start, and Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership Programs, for Cost-of-Living Adjustment and Quality Improvement supplemental funding, increasing the combined award by $4,512,840, from $60,021,002 to $64,533,842, for the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024, for the following programs:
a. Head Start Program, in the amount of $3,606,152.
b. Early Head Start, in the amount of $906,688.
2. Approve Side Letter Agreement with Teamsters Local 1932, representing employees in the Preschool Services Department Non-Supervisory Unit and Preschool Services Department Supervisory Unit, effective September 23, 2023.
3. Authorize the Chair of the Board of Supervisors, Chief Executive Officer, or Director of the Preschool Services Department to accept any subsequent non-substantive amendments to Grant Award No. 09CH011719-04-01 for the Head Start, Early Head Start, and Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership Programs on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
4. Direct the Director of the Preschool Services Department to transmit all non-substantive amendments to Grant Award No. 09CH011719-04-01 for the Head Start, Early Head Start, and Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership Programs to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Jacquelyn Greene, Director, 383-2005)
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 amended grant award in the combined amount of $4,512,840 from the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families (ACF) for the Head Start, Early Head Start, and Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) Programs, provides for a waiver of the non-federal match. The award consists of Cost-of-Living Adjustment (COLA) and Head Start Program Quality Improvement (QI) funds as detailed below. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Preschool Services Department’s (PSD) 2023-24 budget.
|
Program |
COLA Funding |
QI Funding |
Total |
|
Head Start |
2,688,033 |
918,119 |
3,606,152 |
|
Early Head Start* |
630,922 |
275,766 |
906,688 |
|
Total |
3,318,955 |
1,193,885 |
4,512,840 |
*Includes EHS-CCP Program funding
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Head Start, Early Head Start, and EHS-CCP Programs provide comprehensive developmental and educational services for children ages 0 - 5 and their families at PSD sites located throughout the county. Services include health, nutrition, and family comprehensive social services, and developmental and behavioral screenings, with the overall goal of increasing the school readiness of young children and moving economically disadvantaged families towards self-sufficiency.
PSD will utilize the COLA funds to provide an increase of 5.6% in the hourly rate of pay and fringe benefits for approximately 588 Head Start and Early Head Start contract employees. In addition, the COLA funds will cover cost increases for data processing and other services, and provide a 5.6% increase in payments to sub-contractors and a delegate agency currently providing Head Start, Early Head Start, and EHS-CCP Program services to eligible families. PSD will utilize the QI funds to provide contracted occupational therapy and trauma treatment services for eligible children and their families.
Following receipt of the combined Grant Award No. 09CH011719-04-01 for continued support of the Head Start, Early Head Start, and EHS-CCP programs, pursuant to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between San Bernardino County and Teamsters Local 1932 (Teamsters) for employees in the PSD Non-Supervisory Unit and PSD Supervisory Unit, the County provided the Teamsters a notice of the award and an opportunity to discuss wage adjustments. Teamsters requested to meet to discuss the proposed wage adjustments. As a result, the parties agreed to the proposed Side Letter Agreement referenced in Recommendation No. 2, which would provide employees in these units with a 5.6% COLA and a one-time payment of $439. If approved, the COLA would become effective September 23, 2023, and the lump sum pay would be paid on or around October 18, 2023.
On April 11, 2023 (Item No. 32), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the submission of a grant application to ACF for continued support of the Head Start, Early Head Start, and EHS-CCP Programs, in the combined amount of $60,021,002, for the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
On May 23, 2023 (Item No. 45), the Board approved the submission of a combined supplemental grant application to ACF for continued support of the Head Start, Early Head Start, and EHS-CCP Programs, in the combined amount of $4,512,840 for COLA and QI supplemental funding, for the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
On July 31, 2023, PSD received the amended grant award (Award No. 09CH011719-04-01) from AFC for the Head Start, Early Head Start, and Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership Programs, in the combined amount of $4,512,840 for COLA and QI supplemental funding, for the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
On August 8, 2023 (Item No. 27), the Board approved Contract No. 23-846 (Award No. 09CH011719-04-00), a combined grant award from ACF for the Head Start, Early Head Start, and EHS-CCP Programs, in the combined amount of $60,021,002, for the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2024.
This item is being presented at this time as this is the first available date following the required operational, fiscal, and legal reviews. Approval at this time will not impact PSD services or activities.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 8, 2023; Human Resources (Leonardo Gonzalez, County Labor Relations Chief, 387-5568) on August 9, 2023; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on August 23, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on August 24, 2023.