REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 23, 2026
FROM
JOSHUA DUGAS, Acting Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Renewal Application for Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Community Mental Health Services Block Grant 2026-28
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RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve and authorize the submission of the grant renewal application to the California Department of Health Care Services, Mental Health Services Division, in the amount of $10,466,146, for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, Community Mental Health Services Block Grant 2026-28, for the provision of behavioral health services to adults living with a chronic behavioral health condition and to children diagnosed with a serious emotional disturbance, for the period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028.
2. Authorize the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health, as the County Mental Health Director, to electronically execute and submit the grant renewal application documents and any subsequent non-substantive amendments to the grant renewal application, 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 executed grant renewal application and any subsequent non-substantive amendments to the grant renewal application, to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Joshua Dugas, Acting Director, 252-5142)
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COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
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 this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The proposed grant, in the amount of $10,466,146, is administered by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) and funded through the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG). The SAMHSA MHBG 2026-28 renewal application does not require a local match. Adequate appropriation and revenue are included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2026-27 budget and will be included in the 2027-28 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DBH utilizes the MHBG funding to provide behavioral health services to children diagnosed with a serious emotional disturbance and adults experiencing severe and persistent mental illness and/or co-occurring substance use disorder (SUD). DBH has continuously received and provided services with MHBG funding since 1982.
Upon award, the proposed SAMHSA MHBG 2026-28 renewal application funding from DHCS for the two-year period of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, will allow DBH to continue providing these services annually in the amount of $5,233,073 as follows:
1. Children’s System of Care program (Juvenile Justice Community Reintegration). This program will provide assessments and treatment interventions tailored to:
• Approximately 400 children at-risk of institutionalization, hospitalization, or long-term incarceration per year, to meet their behavioral health needs by partnering with the Probation Department to work directly with youth, families, and the youth’s Probation Officer.
• At an average cost of approximately $1,565 per client for the two-year period.
2. Adult System of Care programs (Adult Continuing Care Program Long Term Care; Choosing Healthy Options to Instill Change and Empowerment; Improving Detection and Early Access; Supervised Treatment After Release; Triage, Engagement and Support Teams; and Placement After Stabilization). These programs will help address the disparities in mental health services by providing consumer-driven residential, mental health and case management services to:
• Approximately 1,000 adults at-risk of institutionalization or hospitalization per year.
• At an average cost of approximately $3,767 per client for the two-year period.
3. Adult System of Care, Dual Diagnosis program (Therapeutic Alliance Program). This program will provide behavioral health treatment to:
• Approximately 100 adults per year who have a behavioral health condition and a co-occurring SUD.
• At an average cost of approximately $8,052 per client for the two-year period.
On April 6, 2026, DHCS notified DBH of the release of the State Fiscal Year 2026-27 and 2027-28 MHBG renewal application, with an initial due date of May 20, 2026. DBH requested, and DHCS approved, an extension of the submission deadline to June 26, 2026, to allow sufficient time for the required reviews and approval by the Board of Supervisors (Board). Following receipt of the approval letter, DBH will return to the Board to formally accept the grant award.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health (Marianna Martinez, Administrative Supervisor II, 383-3940) on May 27, 2026; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on June 17, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Iliana Rodriguez, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on June 4, 2026.