DATE: August 4, 2020
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Dawan Utecht, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT: Grant Agreement with the Mental Health Services Oversight & Accountability Commission for Mental Health Student Services Act funds
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute Agreement No. 19MHSOAC052 with the California State Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission for receipt of awarded competitive grant funds to Fresno County that will allow expansion of school-based mental health and prevention and early intervention services, effective September 1, 2020 through August 31, 2024, not to exceed $6,000,000.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will allow the County to receive grant funds from the California State Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) through the Department of Behavioral Health (DBH). The grant will be used to fund the development of four school-based Wellness Centers and expand mental health and prevention and early intervention services to the unserved and/or underserved communities in Fresno County.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There are no viable alternative actions. Should your Board opt not to approve the recommended action, the awarded grant would not be accepted, and supplemental school-based mental health and prevention and early intervention services will be limited.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Approval of the recommended action will increase funding to Fresno County by $6,000,000 over a four-year period made available by Senate Bill (SB) 75 and the Mental Health Student Services Act (MHSSA). DBH will work collaboratively to develop a work plan for the MHSSA funds and will return to your Board with an agreement. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues related to the funding are included in the Department’s Org 5630 FY 2020-21 Recommended Budget and will be included in subsequent budget recommendations for the duration of this grant agreement.
DISCUSSION:
On June 5, 2018, your Board approved County Agreement (No. 18-308) with Fresno County Superintendent of Schools (FCSS) to provide Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) specialty mental health services and prevention and early intervention services to individuals aged 0-22 and their families at school sites throughout Fresno County. The goal of this integrated expanded treatment program (collectively referred to as the “All 4 Youth” Program) is to provide one school based integrated system of care for behavioral health needs of youth and their families. Services include individual and group therapy, intensive case management, rehabilitation, medication, and other related mental health services.
In July 2019, the Governor signed SB 75, which created the MHSSA to establish mental health partnerships between County Mental Health or Behavioral Health Departments and local educational entities for the purpose of increasing access to mental health services in locations that are easily accessible to students and their families. MHSOAC was tasked with awarding grants totaling $75 million dollars over a four-year grant cycle, to County Behavioral Health Departments to fund new or existing partnerships. Since the County has an existing partnership with FCSS, the County will receive a grant amount of $6,000,000, if approved by your Board. On December 12, 2019 the Request for Application (RFA) was released from the MHSOAC with a submission deadline of February 28, 2020. DBH and the local education agency, FCSS, collaborated to develop a proposal for this grant opportunity.
On March 24, 2020, your Board approved the retroactive MHSSA grant application submission to the MHSOAC for the competitive grant opportunity for supplemental funds to the All 4 Youth Program. On April 23, 2020, the MHSOAC announced the selection of Fresno County as one of the Counties awarded with the MHSSA grant.
Approval of the recommended action will allow the County to accept the awarded MHSOAC grant funds which will be passed through to the local education agency and partner, FCSS, to implement the submitted proposal via an agreement that will be brought to your Board for approval. The proposal will fund capital investments and expansion of the prevention and early intervention component in the current All 4 Youth Program. The funds would establish four new service delivery locations (to be referred to as “Wellness Centers”) throughout Fresno County. These centers will provide outreach, prevention and early intervention services, behavioral health services, and referral to supportive services to youths and their families. The new component includes recruitment and incorporation of Peer/Family Partners from the local community, with lived experience that reflects the population they serve. Peer/Family Partner services will be provided at the Wellness Centers and in the field to compliment the current All 4 Youth Program’s clinical treatment services. Once the detailed scope of work has been negotiated, DBH will return to your Board with a contract for consideration. Additionally, the County’s insurance language and limits are not contained within this Agreement.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The Behavioral Health Board was informed of the MHSOAC competitive grant opportunity during the February 19, 2020 Behavioral Health Board meeting.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #32 - March 24, 2020, MHSSA Grant Application Submittal
BAI #9 - June 5, 2018, Agreement No. 18-308
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with MHSOAC
CAO ANALYST:
Ronald Alexander