DATE: July 18, 2023
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Susan Holt, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT: Amendment II for Short-Term Lodging Driven by Peer Support Services
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute Amendment II to Agreement with RH Community Builders for short-term lodging driven by peer support services, effective upon execution with no change in term of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2025, and increasing the annual contract maximum for fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25 by $83,148 for a total contract maximum of $8,220,814.
REPORT
There is no additional Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions, which will allow RH Community Builders to secure more Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Innovation funds for fiscal years 2023-24 and 2024-25 as well as offer higher salaries to staff to assist with staff retention and competitive wages. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There are no viable alternative actions. If the recommended action is not approved, the Department of Behavioral Health (Department) would be unable to provide short-term lodging services to adults with severe mental illness.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The MHSA Innovation funding for the program will increase from $1,333,333 per fiscal year to $1,500,000
Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues will be included in the Department’s Org 5630 FY 2023-24 Recommended Budget and will be included in future budget requests for the duration of the contract.
DISCUSSION:
On December 15, 2020, your Board approved Retroactive Agreement No. 20-492 with RH Community Builders for short-term lodging along with individual and group services that work to encourage individuals to engage in behavioral health services and increase their motivation to enter into behavioral health services.
On June 20, 2023, your Board Approved Amendment I to Agreement No. 20-492 with RH Community Builders for the extension of the existing agreement along with changes to the agreement due to the State of California’s Department of Health Care Services’ implementation of California Advancing and Innovating Medi-Cal (CalAIM).
The Department of Behavioral Health recently submitted a new plan to the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission to extend and increase the Innovation funding for this program as well as extend their maximum length of stay from 45 days to 90 days to determine if a longer length of stay is beneficial to individuals served. The recommended action will allow RH Community Builders to secure more MHSA funding to provide higher salaries to staff as well as provide individuals served a longer length of stay in their program. Providing RH Community Builders with the ability to offer competitive wages to their service-providing staff will minimize staff turnover. Staff continuity is pivotal to the County’s ability to provide effective supportive services to the most vulnerable, underserved populations. In addition, it is anticipated that an increased length of stay for persons served will have a positive impact on the likelihood of the individual engaging in services. The expectation is that the increased length of stay will give support staff and the individual more time to identify specific needs to fully engage in services.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The Behavioral Health Board was advised of the proposed Amendment to Agreement No. 20-492.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #44, June 20, 2023
BAI #56, December 15, 2020
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Amendment II to Agreement with RH Community Builders
CAO ANALYST:
Amina Flores-Becker