REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 5, 2026
FROM
JOSHUA DUGAS, Acting Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Grant Renewal Application for Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve and authorize the submission of the grant renewal application to the California Department of Health Care Services, Community Services Division, in the amount of $21,162,766, for the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant for the provision of prevention, treatment, and recovery of substance use disorders, for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028.
2. Authorize the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health to electronically execute and submit the grant renewal application documents, including any subsequent non-substantive application documents, and any subsequent non-substantive application amendments, for the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant, as required by the California Department of Health Care Services, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health to transmit the grant renewal application and any subsequent non-substantive application amendments, in relation to the Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant, to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Joshua Dugas, Acting Director, 252-5142)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote and Fulfill the Countywide Vision.
Foster Sustainable Development Through Strategic Partnerships.
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 proposed grant renewal in the amount of $21,162,766, is administered by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and funded through the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s (SAMHSA) Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant (SUBG). SUBG funds do not require a local match. The Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) will return to the Board of Supervisors to request acceptance of the SUBG grant, if awarded.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DBH has provided substance use disorder (SUD) services through an intergovernmental agreement with DHCS since 1994 for SUBG funding that is renewed every two years. SAMHSA allocates SUBG to DHCS, which acts as a pass-through agency to provide funding to participating county behavioral health plans in California. The grant renewal application to DHCS for SUBG funding will allow DBH to be reimbursed by SUBG funds for certain SUD treatment projects, which include:
|
SUBG Funding Projects |
Description |
|
SUBG Discretionary |
Funds SUD treatment and preventive activities, including services to specific populations such as youth and pregnant and parenting women. |
|
Adolescent/Youth Set-Aside |
Funds comprehensive age-appropriate SUD services to youth. |
|
Perinatal Set-Aside |
Funds treatment and recovery from SUD for women and children. |
|
Prevention Set-Aside |
Funds prevention services directed at individuals who have not been determined to require treatment for SUD. |
SUBG funds are utilized to plan, execute, and evaluate SUBG-authorized activities for the prevention and treatment of SUD throughout the county. In addition to the provision of countywide SUD treatment programs, SAMHSA requires that a minimum of 25% of SUBG funds be spent on substance use primary prevention strategies. Services provided by DBH with SUBG funding include Environmental Prevention Strategies and Services (EPSS); Early Intervention, Outpatient Treatment, Intensive Outpatient and Recovery Services (EI-OT-IOT-RS); and Community-Based Recovery Service Centers (CBRSC).
EPSS utilizes strategies and efforts to change the conditions within a community, including physical, social, or cultural factors that may lead to SUD, focusing on creating an environment that makes it easier for people to act in healthy ways.
During the 2024-26 SUBG funding term, DBH conducted the following activities for EPSS:
• Approximately 198 speaking engagements
• Supported nine active coalitions
• Delivered 212 training sessions on EPSS-related issues
• Institute for Public Strategies, Reach Out West End, and Rim Family Services collected a total of 2,318 surveys, which assisted in determining community risk levels.
DBH projects the following 2026-28 SUBG funding term EPSS outcomes:
• Development of approximately 360 prevention-related media pieces
• Completion of 1,000 outreach events
• Implementation of 24 prevention policies
• Completion of approximately 8,250 surveys.
EI-OT-IOT-RS provides a comprehensive continuum of SUD prevention and treatment services for residents throughout the county. These services include preventive support for clients to identify potential substance use before it occurs, outpatient treatment for clients with a SUD, and recovery services that assist clients who have completed a treatment program. During the 2024-26 SUBG funding term, DBH achieved its Measurable Outcome Objective (MOO) for EI-OT-IOT-RS by ensuring that approximately 2,444, or 88%, of outpatient episodes received a follow-up service within 10 days. For the 2026-28 SUBG funding term, DBH projects that approximately 2,500, or 90%, of outpatient episodes will receive follow-up service within 10 days. DBH will track progress toward the MOO through initial contact log entries and ensure data quality through the Quality Management Action Committee, which oversees system‑level performance.
CBRSC services include social activities, parenting education, aftercare and family groups, SUD education, life skills, and smoking reduction/cessation support. The services offered at CBRSCs assist in encouraging and reinforcing positive behavioral changes through substance-free activities in a community forum. During the 2024-26 SUBG funding term, DBH achieved its MOO for CBRSC by providing approximately 75,919 services to residents throughout the county, including social activities, recovery groups, drug education sessions, life-skills classes, smoking cessation groups, parenting education sessions, and family support services. For the 2026-28 SUBG funding term, DBH anticipates providing approximately 91,102 services to residents throughout the county, including social activities, recovery groups, drug education sessions, life-skills classes, smoking cessation groups, parenting education sessions, and family support services.
On April 7, 2026, DHCS released instructions for completion of the grant application documents with a submission deadline of May 20, 2026. DHCS has directed the DBH Director, as the County Mental Health Plan Director, responsible for the administration of the County’s mental health services, to execute and submit the SUBG grant renewal application, and any subsequent non-substantive application documents and any subsequent non-substantive application amendments. The Director of DBH will transmit the executed SUBG grant renewal application, including any subsequent non-substantive application documents and any subsequent non-substantive application amendments, to the Clerk of the Board within 30 days of execution.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health (Michael Shin, Administrative Manager, 388-0899) on April 22, 2026; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on April 22, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Iliana Rodriguez, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on April 22, 2026.