DATE: August 9, 2022
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Sanja K. Bugay, Department of Social Services
SUBJECT: Amendment to Agreement for Adult Protective Services Home Safe Program
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute Amendment No. 2 to Agreement with WestCare California, Inc. for Home Safe services to align the scope with updated California Department of Social Services guidance and augment services to utilize an expanded allocation, effective upon execution with no change to the term of August 20, 2019 through June 30, 2024 and increasing the maximum by $2,142,558 to a total of $3,601,483.
REPORT
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action, which will allow the Department of Social Services to expand homeless prevention services to Adult Protective Services (APS) clients in accordance with direction from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) and establishes a 24-month term through the previously authorized final end date to align with CDSS funding allocation expenditure guidelines. Utilizing the increased CDSS Home Safe funds will allow the program to serve an expanded caseload and provide family counseling and health care navigation services to support housing stability. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
There is no viable alternative action. If your Board does not approve the recommended action, the County will forego the additional funding for APS homelessness prevention offered by CDSS and the services offered will remain at the current levels.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The increase ($2,142,558) will be offset with CDSS Home Safe funds provided through Assembly Bill 129 (Chapter 69, Statutes of 2021). The recommended amendment allows for expenditures up to $2,726,128 for the 24-month period beginning July 1, 2022 and ending June 30, 2024. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues have been included in the Department’s Org 5610 FY 2022-23 Recommended Budget and will be included in future budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
The Home Safe Program was established by the California State Legislature through Assembly Bill 1811 (Chapter 35, Statutes of 2018) and is administered by counties with oversight from CDSS. The program provides homeless prevention services to support the safety and housing stability of APS clients who have experienced elder or dependent adult abuse, neglect, self-neglect, or financial exploitation. Homeless prevention services include: housing-related intensive case management, housing stabilization, housing navigation, linkages to longer-term supports, and direct financial assistance. Home Safe services support the housing stability of APS clients beyond the timeframe the Department’s social workers are able to offer crisis-based interventions.
On August 20, 2019, your Board approved Agreement No. 19-426 with WestCare to provide homeless prevention services. On June 22, 2021, your Board executed First Amendment No. 19-426-1 to extend the term for two additional consecutive one-year extensions through June 30, 2024 and increase the maximum compensation by $875,355 to $1,458,925. On May 31, in accordance with the First Amendment, the Department’s Director and WestCare exercised the optional extension for the 12-month period ending June 30, 2023.
Approval of the recommended action will align the scope with revised CDSS guidelines which expanded the eligible population to include individuals referred to APS, increase the maximum compensation to support additional caseload capacity, combine the remaining optional one-year extension with the current period to align the term with the CDSS Home Safe allocation expenditure period ending June 30, 2024, and add stabilizing services in the form of health care navigation and family counseling. The services will ensure clients connect to the appropriate health providers and resources in the community and support overcoming barriers to remaining safely housed.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #71, June 22, 2021
BAI #45, August 20, 2019
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Amendment to Agreement with WestCare
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa