DATE: August 6, 2024
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sanja Bugay, Director, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Retroactive Revenue Agreement with the California Department of Veterans Affairs for Mental Health Outreach Activities
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute a retroactive revenue Agreement with the California Department of Veterans Affairs (Agreement No. 24XS0010) for Proposition 63 Mental Health Services Act funding for Veteran Mental Health Outreach through the Fresno County Department of Social Services - Veterans Services Office, effective July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026 ($70,000).
REPORT
There is no Net County Cost associated with the recommended action which will allow the Department of Social Services to receive Proposition 63 Mental Health Services Act (Prop 63) funding for the Veterans Services Office (VSO) to enhance referral and educational services for veterans who have mental health concerns. This year CalVET received an increase in the number of grant applications from counties compared to prior years, resulting in a lower amount for Fresno County. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Your Board can instruct the Department to withdraw the acceptance for Prop 63 grant funding. The County will not receive the funding to expand mental health outreach and referral services for veterans.
RETROACTIVE AGREEMENT:
The recommended agreement is retroactive to July 1, 2024, as it was received from the California Department of Veterans Affairs (CDVA) on June 11, 2024.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. Approval of the recommended action will allow the VSO to receive $70,000 in Prop 63 funds to provide mental health outreach activities to veterans from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026, with a maximum of $35,000 each fiscal year. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 7110 FY 2024-25 Recommended Budget and will be included in the FY 2025-26 budget request.
DISCUSSION:
In 2008, the California Department of Mental Health awarded CDVA Prop 63 funding to enhance the effectiveness of referrals to County VSOs for veterans who present with mental health issues. CDVA began working with the VSO, sharing instructions and resources to provide veterans direct and local access to staff that could assist them through the process of claiming Veterans Affairs (VA) mental health benefits.
Since FY 2009-10, the County VSO has been one of several counties in the State that has been allocated Prop 63 funding. The County has received funds for mental health outreach activities with an emphasis on the incarcerated veteran population, which includes veterans being identified prior to court hearings and sentencing, incarcerated veterans, and parolee veterans, newly discharged soldiers, National Guard, and Reserve soldiers who have been deployed. The purpose of the service is to connect veterans with the appropriate mental health and substance abuse services in order to help mitigate the harmful effects of combat, sexual assault, in-service injury and readjustment/assimilation to civilian life by providing education, networking, prevention, intervention and improved access to support services.
The goal for FY 2024-25 is to provide support to over 600 unduplicated veterans in the Central Valley and to assist the judicial system in identifying veterans who may benefit from outreach services rather than incarceration, as well as supporting incarcerated veterans with claims, existing cases, and assistance upon exiting. As of year to date in FY 23/24 the VSO has provided Mental Health screenings/referrals in-house to 491 veterans as well as outreach referrals at local events to 15,243 veterans and their families. The VSO ensures that veterans are educated about the various VA mental health services available to them, including services dealing with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Military Sexual Trauma (MST) and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI). The VSO also provides information to veterans on how to assist their dependents to access education benefits.
In February 2024, the County VSO was notified of their eligibility to receive up to $70,000 in Prop 63 funding for the period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2026; however actual revenue agreement was not received until June 11, 2024. Approval of the recommended agreement is necessary to accept the Prop 63 funding which will support the provision of mental health outreach activities. The agreement varies from the County’s model contract as it is the State of California Standard Agreement initiated by the CDVA. Should any claims or losses arise from this Agreement, the County agrees to indemnify the State of California.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with CDVA
CAO ANALYST:
Ron Alexander