REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 24, 2022
FROM
GEORGINA YOSHIOKA, Interim Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Non-Financial Memorandum of Understanding with the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino for the Veterans Housing Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve non-financial Memorandum of Understanding with the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino for the Veterans Housing Program to provide permanent housing subsidies with supportive services to veterans and veteran family households who are homeless or at-risk of being homeless, for the period of July 1, 2022 through June 30, 2027.
(Presenter: Georgina Yoshioka, Interim Director, 388-0801)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
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 is a non-financial, in-kind Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) provides intensive case management services in exchange for housing subsidies for the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino’s (HACSB) Veterans Housing Program.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The Veterans Housing Program, administered by HACSB, provides permanent housing subsidies with supportive services to San Bernardino County individual veterans and veteran family households who are homeless or at-risk of being homeless. Since 2016, HACSB and DBH have collaborated via a non-financial MOU for the delivery of these critical services. Approval of this MOU for the Veterans Housing Program will allow HACSB to continue working with DBH and other veterans’ services agencies to identify eligible households to access up to 12 subsidized permanent housing units. In turn, DBH will continue to provide intensive case management services and referrals for behavioral health services to support the long-term stability of the households.
Based on the individual need, DBH provides six months or more of case management services per individual or household to assist in identifying and removing barriers to successfully becoming employed, housed, and/or educated to the level needed to achieve self-sufficiency. DBH assesses the individual’s or household’s living situation, physical and emotional health and safety; develops a plan and timeline to assist the individual or household to regain stability; monitors each individual’s or household’s progress toward making the necessary changes to improve its situation or crisis; documents the individual’s or household’s progress; participates in case coordination meetings with HACSB; and continually assesses service needs of the families. Of the 12 subsidized permanent housing units indicated above for the Veterans Housing Initiative Program, eight families are currently housed under this program. DBH provides case management services to all eight veterans and families, connecting them to needed social supports, as well as community and employment resources.
DBH and HACSB will continue to review, monitor, and evaluate program outcomes to ensure adherence to the requirements of the MOU.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Ellayna Hoatson, Contracts Supervisor, 388-0858) on February 17, 2022; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 15, 2022; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on May 3, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on May 6, 2022.