DATE: May 20, 2025
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Susan Holt, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT: Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness Program
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve and ratify the Department of Behavioral Health Director’s previous Application/Agreement submission with the California Department of Health Care Services for the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) Grant effective July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2026 ($439,203); and
2. Approve and authorize the Department of Behavioral Health Director, or designee, to be the signatory and act as the Fresno County representative on behalf of the Board of Supervisors on associated PATH Grant agreement documents, expenditure forms, and reports with no change to the compensation amount or term.
REPORT
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Approval of the first recommended action will authorize the submission of the FY 2025-26 annual Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness (PATH) Grant application submitted by the Department of Behavioral Health Director on February 21, 2025, and ratify the approved application as the agreement to receive PATH funds from the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). Approval of the second recommended action will allow the Department Director to sign all necessary reports and forms due to DHCS for administration of the grant. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
If the recommended actions are not approved, PATH grant funds would be forfeited and services to adults experiencing homelessness and serious mental illness (SMI) and/or co-occurring disorders would be impacted and may result in a higher cost to the County. Additionally, the Department would have to bring all necessary reports and forms due to DHCS to your Board for signature.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. The PATH grant allocation for FY 2025-26 is $329,402 and requires a County match of 33%, or $109,801, which will be funded with Mental Health Services Act - Community Services and Supports (MHSA-CSS) funds, for a total amount of $439,203. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues will be included in the Department’s Org 5630 FY 2025-26 Recommended Budget and will be included in future budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
The Stewart B. McKinney Homeless Assistance Amendments Act of 1990 established the Federal PATH grants administered by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. DHCS functions as a pass-through entity and direct services are administered through the Department. Since 1990, the Department has applied for the grant funding annually to address the needs of individuals with SMI and/or co-occurring SMI and substance use disorders who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness.
On August 18, 2020, the Board authorized the Chairman to execute a retroactive application/ agreement with the DHCS for the PATH Grant, effective July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2021 ($422,910). The Board also approved a retroactive Amendment IV to Agreement No. A-15-257 with Kings View for the PATH Program to extend the deadline for expenditure of the Homeless Mentally Ill Outreach and Treatment grant funding from June 30, 2020 to August 31, 2020 and add a Mobile Outreach Project component using one-time Community Development Block Grant-Coronavirus funding, increasing the maximum by $279,613 to a total of $4,578,437.
On June 22, 2021, the Board approved Agreement No. 21-214 with Kings View, funded in part by PATH funds, to deliver integrated mental health services and supportive housing services to adults who are homeless, or who are at imminent risk of becoming homeless, and have a serious mental illness and/or co-occurring disorder, to enable this population to live in the community and to avoid homelessness, hospitalization, and/or jail detention. The Board also approved the Chairman to execute an application/agreement with the DHCS for the PATH Grant effective July 1, 2021, through June 30, 2022 ($489,351).
On May 17, 2022, the Board authorized the Chairman to execute an application/agreement with the DHCS for the PATH Grant effective July 1, 2022, through June 30, 2023 ($422,883). The Board also approved a Superseding Agreement (No. 22-208) due to an error in Kings View’s legal entity name, as well as expand a dedicated mobile outreach team (PATH-STARS) using ARPA funding.
On May 9, 2023, the Board approved an application/agreement with the DHCS for the PATH Grant effective July 1, 2023, through June 30, 2024 ($439,203). The Board also approved a Superseding Agreement (No. 23-206) to expand a dedicated mobile outreach team (PATH-STARS) using HHAP funding.
On May 7, 2024, the Board approved an application/agreement with the DHCS for the PATH Grant effective July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2025 ($439,203).
In FY 2023-24, PATH funds assisted 395 unique individuals, 200 of those individuals were entered into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS), and 463 total services were provided.
The award letter and application submitted to DHCS by the Department Director are also the agreement with DHCS. Historically, the Department Director has signed the application and agreement on behalf of the Board due to the short turn around needed to submit the application and the Board will either ratify and approve of the PATH grant application submittal, or the Chairman would re-sign the PATH grant application/agreement to be re-submitted to DHCS. The vendor providing the PATH grant service has an established agreement (23-295) and the funds have been written into the FY 2025-26 budget.
The Department received notice of the FY 2025-26 PATH grant application/agreement from DHCS on February 6, 2025, with a submittal deadline of February 21, 2025. The Department requests that your Board approve and ratify the previously submitted application/agreement, executed by the Department Director and approved by DHCS.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The Behavioral Health Board was notified of this application at the May 2025 meeting.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #30, May 7, 2024
BAI #36, May 9, 2023
BAI #10, June 21, 2022
BAI #40, May 17, 2022
BAI #39, June 22, 2021
BAI #26, August 18, 2020
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - PATH Grant Application FY 25-26
CAO ANALYST:
Dylan McCully