REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
August 25, 2020
FROM
VERONICA KELLEY, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Memorandum of Understanding with the Southern Counties Regional Partnership
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Amendment No. 1, effective August 25, 2020, to Memorandum of Understanding No. 15-62 with the Southern Counties Regional Partnership for a Workforce Education and Training Regional Partnership, that will authorize participation in the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development grant, provide the required membership share of matching funds in the amount of $589,360, and extend the total agreement period of December 2, 2014 through June 30, 2026, to automatically renew on an annual basis subject to available funding.
2. Designate the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, or Director of the Department of Behavioral Health to execute and submit the Amendment No. 1 to Memorandum of Understanding No. 15-62 and any subsequent non-substantive amendments to Memorandum of Understanding No. 15-62 with the Southern Counties Regional Partnership for a Workforce Education and Training Regional Partnership, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Chairman of the Board, Chief Executive Officer, or Director of the Department of Behavioral Health, to transmit all documents and amendments in relation to the Southern Counties Regional Partnership for a Workforce Education and Training 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.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) matching contribution of $589,360 as required in the amendment for participation in the Office of Statewide Health Planning and Development (OSHPD) grant opportunity as a Southern Counties Regional Partnership (SCRP) member, will be funded by Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding as included in the MHSA Plan. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in DBH’s 2020-21 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Regional Partnerships are set forth in Section 5822 of the Welfare and Institutions 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.
On July 28, 2008, the California Department of Mental Health now known as the Department of Health Care Services (State) issued Information Notice No. 08-20, providing information for county mental health programs to MHSA Workforce, Education and Training (WET) funds for the purpose of establishing and administering Regional Partnerships. In response to this Information Notice, DBH collaborated with the other Southern Regional Counties of 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 the SCRP. SCRP is a collaborative network for planning and implementing WET activities in the southern region.
On January 27, 2015 (Item No. 23), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved non-financial Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) No. 15-62 with SCRP to allow DBH to participate in the Workforce Education and Training Regional Partnership, on behalf of the County, as a regular member through September 30, 2017 with automatic renewals on an annual basis subject to available funding. Under the terms of the MOU, the County of Santa Barbara Department of Behavioral Wellness (BeWell), formerly known as the Department of Alcohol, Drug and Mental Health Services, acts as the Fiscal Agent for SCRP and outlines DBH’s membership responsibilities that 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 BeWell submitting a grant application on behalf of the SCRP for an OSHPD grant opportunity which will result in a six year agreement between SCRP and 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 $11,555,913 in grant funds and a 33% match by the SCRP members in the total amount of $3,806,371. Current SCRP membership, consisting of: Imperial, Kern, Orange, Riverside, Santa Barbara, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Luis Obispo, and Ventura, and the Tri-City Mental Health Center (cities of Claremont, La Verne, and Pomona), are required to provide a 33% match. The State determined the 33% match each county will contribute.
Approval of this amendment will extend the term of the MOU through June 30, 2026 and automatically renew on an annual basis subject to available funding, in addition to authorizing participation in the OSHPD grant of $11,555,913 with the County’s matching share amount of $589,360. The Board approved and County executed MOU must be submitted to BeWell no later than September 1, 2020 for participation as a SCRP member in the grant application.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Ellayna Hoatson, Contracts Supervisor, 388-0858) on August 12 2020; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 10, 2020; (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on August 12, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Tanya Bratton, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on August 12, 2020.