REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
December 19, 2023
FROM
GILBERT RAMOS, Director, Transitional Assistance Department
SUBJECT
Title
Non-Financial Memorandum of Understanding Template with Colleges for Data Sharing
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve standard non-financial Memorandum of Understanding template for utilization with various colleges to exchange information regarding CalFresh, for a maximum term not to exceed five years.
2. Authorize the Deputy Executive Officer of Human Services and Director of the Transitional Assistance Department to execute the standard Memorandum of Understanding template with individual colleges on behalf of the County.
(Presenter: Gilbert Ramos, Director, 388-0245)
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
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost) as the Memoranda of Understanding (MOU) are non-financial in nature.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Under the terms of the recommended standard MOU template, the Transitional Assistance Department (TAD) and various colleges will exchange information regarding identifying customers who may be in need of, and eligible for, CalFresh benefits. TAD administers the public assistance programs in San Bernardino County (County), including CalFresh. CalFresh serves low-income individuals by providing monthly food benefits.
Assembly Bill (AB) 1326 requires County human services agencies to designate at least one employee as a staff liaison to serve as a point of contact for academic counselors and other professional campus staff of an institution of public higher education located within the county. In addition, the bill requires County human services, with input from the public institutions of higher learning in the county, to develop protocols for engagement between the County staff liaison and local college professional staff. To determine the effectiveness of the County liaison position, TAD will collaborate on a survey that must be conducted, along with a corresponding survey results report due on or before January 1, 2025.
In alignment with AB 1326, TAD has appointed a Student Outreach Liaison to serve as a point of contact for applicable college professional staff. Furthermore, to help build a connection with local colleges, TAD has consistently presented at various local college student outreach events to disseminate County human services benefits information, which includes the creation of applicable informational resources, such as a CalFresh student pamphlet for students and a CalFresh toolkit for local college professional staff.
This MOU template will allow TAD to communicate and work collaboratively with college staff to maximize services to mutual customers, including providing regular program updates, training resources, and marketing materials. TAD will return information about the College students’ potential eligibility for and utilization of CalFresh benefits, so the College may conduct outreach to its students and analyze the impact of CalFresh benefits upon student success.
TAD will utilize the data provided by the colleges to determine whether each student is currently receiving or may be potentially eligible to receive CalFresh benefits. Being potentially eligible is not determined by a comprehensive review of all household factors and should not be considered a pre-screening. Those who are not deemed potentially eligible may still apply for CalFresh benefits and will be encouraged to do so.
Colleges will need to adhere to all federal, state, and county laws relating to customer confidentiality and data protection, including electronic transmission of customer data and confidential information, and securing an appropriate consent to release information from students whose data will be shared.
Colleges will communicate and work collaboratively with TAD and TAD’s Research Outcomes & Quality Support staff, who are responsible for analyzing data provided by the colleges, to maximize services to mutual customers, including participating in training to stay up to date on relevant news and program updates.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on November 21, 2023; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 29, 2023; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on November 30, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on December 4, 2023.