REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 23, 2026
FROM
MATT KNOX, Director, Veterans Affairs
SUBJECT
Title
Grant Award Agreement with the California Department of Veterans Affairs to Support Mental Health Outreach and Services for Veterans
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept and approve grant award Agreement (State Agreement No. 26XS0014) with the California Department of Veterans Affairs, to support mental health outreach and services for veterans, in the amount of $100,000, for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028.
2. Authorize the Chair of the Board of Supervisors, Chief Executive Officer, Assistant Executive Officer, or Director of Veterans Affairs to execute any subsequent non-substantive amendments in relation to the grant award agreement with the California Department of Veterans Affairs, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Director of Veterans Affairs to transmit any non-substantive amendments in relation to the grant award agreement with the California Department of Veterans Affairs to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Matt Knox, Director, 382-3288)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Foster Sustainable Development Through Strategic Partnerships.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The grant award in the amount of $100,000 from the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CalVet), provided under the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), does not require a local match. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the San Bernardino County Veterans Affairs Department (VA) 2026-27 budget and will be included in the 2027-28 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The VA provides claims assistance, information, referral, and advocacy and outreach to state residents, primarily from San Bernardino County (County). It assists veterans with applying for benefits including medical care, life insurance, home loans, pension benefits, disability compensation, education, and vocational rehabilitation, and provides referral assistance to veterans in need of legal services.
CalVet provides BHSA funding, also known as Proposition 63, to support County mental health programs. As the County’s Veterans Service Officer, the VA works closely with CalVet, the State’s leading veterans advocate and resource. This grant funding allows for special projects that enhance mental health services, such as providing free legal clinics to veterans to remove legal barriers preventing access to or maintenance of mental health care.
Since 2019, the VA has utilized BHSA, formerly the Mental Health Services Act, funding for veteran free legal clinics, targeting homeless and low-income veterans in need of mental health treatment who require direct legal aid, which they could otherwise not afford. The goal of the free legal clinics is to increase the number of homeless, low-income, disabled, and at-risk clients who can access or maintain mental health care.
On January 28, 2026, the Chief Executive Officer authorized the submission of the grant application to CalVet for BHSA funds to support veteran mental health outreach and services, in the amount of $100,000, for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, in accordance with County Policy 05-13.
On April 30, 2026, VA received the grant award agreement (State Agreement No. 26XS0014) from CalVet for BHSA funds to support veteran mental health outreach and services, in the amount of $100,000, for the two-year period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028.
Per the terms of the grant, the first quarterly payment, in the amount of $12,500, will be issued upon approval of the grant award agreement. The remaining payments will be issued upon receipt of quarterly reports and invoices by the CalVet Contract Manager.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 26, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Allegra Pajot, Administrative Analyst, 388-0218) on June 3, 2026.