REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 10, 2020
FROM
WILLIAM L. GILBERT, Director, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center
SUBJECT
Title v
Grant Application to the California Department of Health Care Services for a Behavioral Health Pilot Project
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve and authorize the submission of a grant application to the California Department of Health Care Services for the Behavioral Health Pilot Project, in the amount of $50,000, to fund one Behavioral Health Counselor as a contract position to provide emergency department-based behavior health services for the grant performance period of May 15, 2020 through July 15, 2021.
(Presenter: William L. Gilbert, Director, 580-6150)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Operate in a Fiscally-Responsible and Business-Like Manner.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of the recommendations will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) does not require a match for the Behavioral Health Pilot Project. If the funds are awarded by DHCS, Arrowhead Regional Medical Center (ARMC) will return to the Board of Supervisors (Board) for award acceptance and any necessary budget adjustments.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Approval of the recommendation will allow ARMC to submit a grant application to the California Department of Health Care Services for a one-time payment of $50,000 to support one (1) trained behavioral health counselor, on a contract basis, in the ARMC Emergency Department. The counselor will screen and, if appropriate, offer intervention and referral to mental health and substance use disorder programs.
Through the 2019-20 California Governor’s budget, the State legislature has appropriated funds for DHCS to establish the Behavioral Health Pilot Project to expand the California Bridge Program. The Bridge Program was initiated under the Medication-Assisted Treatment (MAT) Expansion Project to further develop Emergency Department-based behavior health services in California’s hospitals. ARMC is a participant in the California Bridge Program, which develops hospitals into primary access points for the treatment of acute symptoms of substance abuse disorder. Through the California Bridge Program, ARMC contracts with CEP America, dba Vituity, to provide a behavioral health counselor. As a result of the contract position, more than 200 ARMC patients over the past eight months, have been screened, counseled, and coordinated for long-term treatment.
The $50,000 grant for the Behavioral Health Pilot Project will be used to continue funding the behavioral health counselor position at ARMC in accordance with grant funding requirements. The DHCS funding for the Behavioral Health Pilot Project must be used to integrate trained behavioral health counselors into emergency departments to build the capacity for improved treatment of substance abuse disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders in acute care hospitals. Only general acute care hospitals may apply for the Pilot Project funding. The grant application is due to DHCS by March 20, 2020.
The grant application includes a request for additional awards if possible. If additional funding is available, ARMC is requesting two (2) additional behavioral health counselors, which would bring the hospital to three (3) counselors. Three positions will allow ARMC to provide 24-hour coverage for service to patients with substance abuse disorders. The additional positions would also allow ARMC to have a counselor at various inpatient and outpatient facilities with a focus on our behavioral health units and clinics. If awarded, ARMC will seek approval from the Board of Supervisors to accept new funds under this grant.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Michael Markel, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5289) on February 28, 2020; Finance (Amanda Trussell, Principal Administrative Analyst, 387-4773) on February 28, 2020; and County Finance (Matthew Erickson, County Chief Financial Officer, 387-5423) on March 2, 2020.