REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 8, 2021
FROM
VERONICA KELLEY, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title v
Grant Applications for Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant SFY 2021-22
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve and authorize the submission of the grant renewal application to the California Department of Health Care Services, Community Services Division, in the amount of $10,611,383, for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant for the provision of prevention and treatment of substance use disorders, for the period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.
2. Designate the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health, as the County Mental Health Director, to sign and submit the grant renewal application documents, including any subsequent non-substantive amendments for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant, as required by the California Department of Health Care Services, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Authorize the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health, as the County Mental Health Director, to approve, sign and submit a supplemental grant application and any necessary documents in order to receive an additional award in Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act funding for the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant, as required by the California Department of Health Care Services, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
4. Direct the Director of the Department of Behavioral Health, as the County Mental Health Director, to transmit all grant renewal and supplemental grant documents in relation to the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Veronica Kelley, Director, 388-0801)
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.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The proposed allocation amount of $10,611,382 is administered by the California Department of Health Care Services (State) and funded through the federal Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG). The SABG application does not require a match.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The grant renewal application to the State for SABG funding will allow the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) to be reimbursed by SABG for Substance Use Disorder (SUD) services provided to eligible clients for the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders. The grant application must be submitted to the State no later than June 30, 2021.
DBH is responsible for providing mental health and SUD services to San Bernardino County residents who are experiencing major mental illness and/or substance use disorders. An integral part of the service delivery system consists of SUD services that include prevention, treatment, wellness and recovery. DBH has provided SUD services through an intergovernmental agreement with DHCS since 1994. In 2019-20, the DBH SUD comprehensive continuum of treatment programs provided 5,994 unduplicated clients SUD treatment. Through a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Public Health DBH provided Tuberculosis (TB) testing services to at-risk individuals. Environmental Prevention providers assisted with 35 active coalitions throughout the County and participated in 186 speaking engagements, collected 5,833 surveys to assist with community level risk assessments, and disseminated 19,548 educational materials to communities in San Bernardino County. By June 2019, thirty-one Friday Night Live/Club Live (FNL) chapters were established in all five districts of the County with 780 core participants. FNL collaborated with local police, County Sherriff, California Highway Patrol, the Gang and Drug Task Force, and Mothers Against Drunk Driving on the following activities: Start Smart, Teen to Teen Traffic Safety, Roadwatch and Safe & Sober Prom 2019.
SABG funds are utilized for the purpose of planning, carrying out and evaluating SABG authorized activities to prevent and treat substance use disorders in San Bernardino County. In addition to providing countywide SUD treatment programs, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration requires that no less than 25% of SABG funds be spent on substance use primary prevention strategies.
Prevention strategies are aimed at advocating for change in community standards and attitudes that shape individuals’ behaviors by focusing on assisting individuals in developing the knowledge, attitudes, and skills needed to change their behavior regarding alcohol and/or drug use. DBH’s goal for prevention services is to prevent or reduce substance use and other behavioral health conditions among diverse youth, young adults, and other sub-groups at risk for developing substance use disorders.
On April 15, 2021, the State notified DBH of the release of the State Fiscal Year 2020-21 Planning Estimate and Application Instructions for the SABG renewal application.
On May, 11, 2021, the State notified DBH of the opportunity to provide comment on and submit applications for supplemental funding for SABG through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act, with a projected deadline of June 21, 2021. The stated reason for the very quick timeline is the need to provide the funds to the counties as soon as possible as they must be spent by December 31, 2022. Any State supplemental funding will not require DBH to match such funding. DBH seeks to utilize this opportunity for additional funding to supplement FNL to increase capacity of Prevention services, Recovery Residences, Residential treatment and Perinatal treatment services. Since the State has not yet released the application, DBH is requesting authorization for the DBH Director, as the County Mental Health Director, to, to approve, sign and submit the supplemental grant application and any necessary documents in order to be eligible to receive this supplement funding.
If DBH is awarded the grants, DBH will return to the Board of Supervisors to accept the grant renewal award and the supplemental award following the receipt of the approval letter(s).
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Natalie Kessee, Contracts Manager, 388-0869) on May 24, 2021; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 21, 2021; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on May 21, 2021; and County Finance and Administration (Tanya Bratton, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on May 21, 2021.