REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
February 8, 2022
FROM
GEORGINA YOSHIOKA, Interim Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Grant Award from the California Department of Health Care Services for the Federal McKinney Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness Program 2021-22
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Accept grant award, in the amount of $508,762, from the California Department of Health Care Services for continued funding of the Federal McKinney Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness program, which provides behavioral health services to consumers who have a serious mental illness, or who have co-occurring serious mental illness and substance use disorder, and who are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless, 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 execute and submit any subsequent non-substantive amendments to this grant award for the Federal McKinney Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness program, 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 as the County Mental Health Director, to transmit all documents and amendments in relation to the Federal McKinney Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness program to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Georgina Yoshioka, Interim Director, 388-0801)
Body
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.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Federal McKinney Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) program grant award in the amount of $508,762 requires a match of $1 for each $3 of PATH program funding received. The Department of Behavioral Health (DBH) will provide the required match of $169,568 through in-kind services provided by staff whose positions are financed by Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funds. The total program cost is $678,330 (PATH program funding plus match). The staff associated with the match provide services that include targeted outreach, planning and coordination to housing situations, linkage to behavioral health services in community settings, referrals for mental health medication support services, integration with health services, job training and education services. This use of MHSA funded positions to meet the match is in compliance with MHSA regulations. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the DBH’s 2021-22 budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
PATH is a formula grant program, which provides funding for the provision of services to individuals who are suffering from a serious mental illness, or from a co-occurring serious mental illness and substance use disorder and are homeless or at imminent risk of becoming homeless. The services and supports provided through the program align with the strategies and target population identified in the draft County Homeless Strategic Plan that will be presented to the Board of Supervisors (Board) at a future date. DBH will use the PATH program funding to provide outreach, planning and coordination for housing situations, linkage to behavioral health services including medication support, job training, education services, and case management services to an estimated 300 unduplicated clients county-wide at an annual estimated total program cost of $2,261 per individual.
The federal government provides the funds for the PATH grant; while the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) is responsible for the administration of the entire program for California including the distribution of PATH funds. In California, only county mental health departments are eligible to receive PATH funds from DHCS. DBH has received PATH funding since the inception of the PATH grant program in 1990.
On April 20, 2021 (Item No. 21), the Board approved DBH’s submission of the PATH grant renewal application to DHCS, in the amount of $507,720, for the period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022.
On October 29, 2021, DBH received the grant award notice from DHCS approving DBH’s PATH grant application in the amount of $508,762, for the period of July 1, 2021 through June 30, 2022. This amount included an increase by DHCS in the amount of $1,042 due to the availability of additional funds for this program.
DBH is requesting approval for the DBH Director as the County Mental Health Director, to execute and submit any subsequent non-substantive amendments to the grant documents, as required by the State, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
This item is being presented at this time as this is the first Board date available following receipt of the notification letter and required DBH Administrative reviews. The additional funding from DHCS required time for DBH to revise the projected budget for this grant funding, which was completed at the end of November 2021, as well as the required program, fiscal and legal reviews. The item was further delayed as the department experienced a change of leadership in December 2021 and more time was necessary to obtain further review by the new DBH Administrative leadership team. Approval of the grant award by the Board at this time will have no impact on DBH’s grant related services and activities.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Natalie Kessee, Contracts Manager, 388-0869) on December 6, 2021; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on January 13, 2022; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on January 19, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on January 21, 2022.