REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
November 16, 2021
FROM
VERONICA KELLEY, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Participation Agreement with California Mental Health Services Authority for the Southern Counties Regional Partnership Participation Agreement
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Participation Agreement (CalMHSA Agreement No. 744-WET-2021-SBR) with California Mental Health Services Authority, to allow for receipt of the San Bernardino County match for the Southern Counties Regional Partnership funds, in the amount of $589,360, effective upon execution by both parties through July 31, 2024.
2. Designate the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health, as the County Mental Health Director, to sign and submit the Participation Agreement, including any subsequent non-substantive amendments, as required by the California Mental Health Services Authority for the Southern Counties Regional Partnership, 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 California Mental Health Services Authority Participation Agreement for the Southern Counties Regional Partnership 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
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 County’s portion of the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) Southern Counties Regional Partnership in the amount of $589,360, is 100% funded by the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA). Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2021-22 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Regional Partnerships are set forth in the Welfare and Institution Code as an important workforce strategy to assist the public mental health system in its efforts to expand outreach to multicultural communities, increase the diversity of the workforce, reduce the stigma associated with mental illness, and promote the use of web-based technologies and distance learning techniques.
Approval of this item will allow DBH to enter into a Participation Agreement (CalMHSA Agreement No. 744-WET-2021-SBR) with CalMHSA through July 31, 2024, in order to pay $196,453 annually, for a total of $589,360 in matching funds required for continued participation in the Southern Counties Regional Partnership (SCRP). Participation allows DBH and DBH Contract Employees the opportunity to access grant funds managed by CalMHSA for the San Bernardino County run SCRP programs. Programs include: 1) Loan Repayment Programs for existing staff, 2) Clinical Master and Doctoral Graduate Education Stipends to students that must dedicate one work-year to the County, 3) Retention Activities designed to increase staff retention and enhance best practices and well-being, and 4) Pipeline Development programs to introduce mental health and related careers to schools (grades K-12), community colleges, and universities.
On July 14, 2009 (Item No. 72), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved a Memorandum of Understanding for DBH’s collaboration with other southern regional counties; Imperial, Kern, Orange, Riverside, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, Santa Barbara, and Ventura, and the Tri-City Mental Health Center (cities of Claremont, La Verne, and Pomona) to create SCRP. The SCRP is a collaborative network for planning and implementing Workforce, Education and Training (WET) activities in the southern region.
On January 27, 2015 (Item No. 23) the Board approved non-financial MOU No. 15-62 with SCRP to allow DBH to participate in the WET Regional Partnership, on behalf of the County, as a regular member. Under the terms of the MOU, the County of Santa Barbara Department of Behavioral Wellness (BeWell) acts as the Fiscal Agent for SCRP, and the membership responsibilities are outlined, which include attendance at quarterly meetings to plan and implement activities and share MHSA WET Resources among participating counties.
On May 13, 2020, the SCRP members voted in favor of the BeWell submitting a grant application on behalf of the SCRP for a six-year agreement between SCRP and the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) for $15,369,364 to fund programs that oversee training and support to the Public Mental Health System workforce in the southern region, consisting of the grant award amount of $11,534,457 and a 33% match by the SCRP members in the total amount of $3,806,372. The State requires a 33% match contribution by each participating county as determined by the California Department of Health Care Services. San Bernardino County’s match contribution is $589,360, which will permit the County to access approximately $2,375,298 in total funds managed by CalMHSA, for the San Bernardino County DBH to run SCRP programs.
On August 25, 2020 (Item No. 18), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to MOU No. 15-62 with the SCRP for a WET Regional Partnership that authorized participation in the OSHPD grant, provided the required membership share of matching funds in the amount of $589,360, and extended the term of the MOU through June 30, 2026.
As Fiscal and Administrative agent for the SCRP, BeWell executed a contract with OSHPD in order to receive SCRP funds. One of the clauses of the contract is that matching funds from the counties must have a third-party verification. BeWell could not directly receive matching funds from the counties and therefore contracted with CalMHSA to provide third-party verification.
CalMHSA, a Joint Powers Authority, will provide the required fiscal intermediary services, certifying and collecting local funds from counties participating in the SCRP. CalMHSA’s role includes, but is not limited to, executing Participation agreements for each contributing county to include a one-time grant fund match payment to be paid in full by July 31, 2024.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Ellayna Hoatson, Contracts Supervisor, 388-0858) on October 21, 2021; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 1, 2021; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on October 22, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on October 26, 2021.