REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 28, 2022
FROM
SUPRIYA BARROWS, Deputy Executive Officer, Community Development and Housing Department
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contracts with Inland Southern California 211+ and Inland Counties Legal Services, Inc. for Housing and Disability Advocacy Program Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. 21-839 with Inland Southern California 211+ to provide bridge housing, case management, outreach, financial assistance, and Coordinated Entry System support services, increasing the contract amount by $561,228, from $561,228 to $1,122,456, and extending the contract for an additional year, for a total contract period of July 1, 2021 to June 30, 2023.
2. Approve Amendment No. 4 to Contract No. 18-550 with Inland Counties Legal Services, Inc. to continue legal advocacy services, increasing the contract amount by $186,000, from $670,329 to $856,329, and extending the contract for an additional year, for a total contract period of August 1, 2018 through June 30, 2023.
(Presenter: Supriya Barrows, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-4717)
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 item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Transitional Assistance Department (TAD) received an allocation of funding from the State of California Health and Human Services, Department of Social Services (CDSS) for the Housing and Disability Advocacy Program (HDAP). TAD entered into a Memorandum of Understanding for the Community Development and Housing Department (CDH) to administer the HDAP program as the Administrative Entity (AE), which is funded with the TAD HDAP allocation. Adequate appropriation and revenue are included in CDH’s 2022-2023 budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Since 2018, San Bernardino County (County) has administered HDAP to assist individuals experiencing homelessness apply for disability benefit programs such as Social Security Income (SSI), Social Security Disability Income (SSDI), and/or Veteran’s Disability Compensation, while also providing short-term shelter and permanent housing assistance. On September 13, 2021, CDSS issued the formal notification of funding for HDAP. The HDAP allocation is approved through June 30, 2024.
Clients enrolled in the HDAP program are housed in motels, while awaiting transition into the Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) units that undergo rehabilitation by the Housing Authority of San Bernardino County, as well as in various stages of the application process to obtain disability benefits with Inland Counties Legal Services, Inc., (ICLS). Given the nature of these services, the extreme vulnerability of the clients, and the inherent challenges with serving the HDAP target population, even a temporary interruption of the program would have an adverse impact on the housing status, health, and stability of the clients. HDAP anticipates a minimum of 30 new referrals and will continue to serve current Rollover Clients. As of September 2021, nine of the Rollover Clients have successfully transitioned from the motels to PSH units and four of the legal advocacies have been awarded disability benefits. Rollover Clients are individuals who currently receive services and will continue to receive services under the recommended contract.
The HDAP program has been instrumental in housing and assisting the homeless population with disability advocacy services. HDAP aligns with the County’s Homeless Strategic Action Plan, specifically in the areas of 1) Housing the Most At-Risk, 2) Increasing Shelter Capacity, and 3) System Improvements. The HDAP program supports expansion of the County’s housing and homeless programs, strengthens efforts to make a collective impact, and increases capacity in partnership with stakeholders.
Over the course of program implementation, bridge housing has been one of the most effective functions of the program as it creates housing stability and increases access to otherwise transitory clients. In support of the primary objective of the HDAP program to assist program participants with obtaining SSI/SSDI benefits, bridge housing increases accessibility to the clients, which increases efficacy of the disability advocacy services and results in an increase of successful application submissions and, in some cases, the award of SSI/SSDI benefits. The HDAP will use the current funding to continue to provide case management, case coordination and support via the Coordinated Entry System (CES), housing financial assistance (i.e., furnishings, housewares, appliances, security deposits, etc.), legal/disability advocacy, and short- and mid-term bridge housing.
Although HDAP funds Inland Southern California 211+ (ISC211+) to provide direct services, the current program implementation and accomplishments may be attributed to the leveraging of resources and the fostering of partnerships with other County departments (i.e., Department of Behavioral Health, TAD, etc.) and local service providers to increase service delivery.
On November 16, 2021 (Item No. 26), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved Contract No. 21-839 with ISC211+ to provide bridge housing, case management, outreach, financial assistance, and CES support services in the amount of $561,228, retroactively effective July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.
There is currently a comprehensive review of CES performance being completed. The County is aware that the current CES is not meeting the needs of the community. This performance review is being completed by an ad hoc committee under the San Bernardino County Interagency Council on Homelessness (ICH), the San Bernardino County Continuum of Care’s governing Board, which is responsible for all duties assigned to any Continuum of Care Program, per federal regulations. Once completed, this review and all findings will be shared with ICH for final approval. Using data obtained from this approved comprehensive review of CES performance, the County will continue to work with ISC211+ to address any additional performance measures needed to ensure individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness are matched in a timely manner with the intervention that will most efficiently and effectively end their homelessness. Should amendment to the contract be necessary for inclusion of additional performance measures, a future item will be presented to the Board.
On July 24, 2018 (Item No. 16), the Board approved Contract No. 18-550 with ICLS, in an amount not to exceed $400,000 to provide disability advocacy services/legal assistance to HDAP clients during the disability application process for the period of August 1, 2018 through June 30, 2020. On October 16, 2018 (Item No. 23), the Board approved Amendment No.1 to Contract No. 18-550, which increased the contract amount by $170,000 to $570,000, to expand the homeless population served to include those who are not Housing and Disability Advocacy Program-eligible. On June 23, 2020 (Item No. 38), the Board approved Amendment No. 2 to Contract No. 18-550, reducing the contract by $85,671 to $484,329 and extending the contract period through June 30, 2021. On November 16, 2021 (Item No. 26), the Board approved Amendment No. 3 to Contract No. 18-550, retroactively effective July 1, 2021, to increase the contract amount by $186,000 from $484,329, for a total contract amount of $670,329, and extend the contract for an additional year, for a total contract period of August 1, 2018 through June 30, 2022.
Contractor performance will be monitored by review of monthly reports and an annual site visit to ensure compliance with the administrative, program, and fiscal terms and conditions of the contract. Contractor will cooperate with County in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of this Contract and comply with any and all reporting requirements established by this Contract. Contractor charges must be for services provided to eligible beneficiaries under this funded program. The County reserves the right to request additional program and/or fiscal reports to facilitate this monthly review. The contracts may be terminated without cause by the County with 30 days written notice.
PROCUREMENT
Not Applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Suzanne Bryant, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on June 10, 2022; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on June 10, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on June 14, 2022.