DATE: October 19, 2021
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Dawan Utecht, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT: State Department of Rehabilitation Agreement Attachment
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute the DR325 Grant/Contract Signature Authorization Form as a component of Agreement No. 21-082 with the California Department of Rehabilitation.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will fulfill the California Department of Rehabilitation (DOR) requirement to include the authorization form in an agreement previously approved by your Board on March 23, 2021. The form was provided by DOR on August 6, 2021 and will be attached to the agreement with no change to the terms or conditions. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended action, the Department of Behavioral Health will be unable to fulfill DOR’s contract process requirements, which could adversely affect the County’s ability to provide funding for vocational rehabilitation services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. DOR has already invoiced the County for Agreement No. 21-082 and payment was submitted in FY 2019-20. However, DOR has not been able to finalize the invoice without the necessary attachment.
DISCUSSION:
Since August 2011, the Department has collaborated with DOR to provide vocational rehabilitation services to individuals with severe mental illness (SMI).
On December 5, 2017, the Board approved Agreement No. 17-611 with the DOR for supported employment services to individuals with SMI.
On March 23, 2021, your Board approved Agreement No. 21-082 with DOR, which superseded Agreement No. 17-611 that split DOR funding for vocational and educational services between the Department and Dreamcatchers Empowerment Network, a contractor. Dreamcatchers took over as provider of vocational services as part of Agreement No. 20-102. The split funding was to allow the Department to begin ramping down services, while allowing Dreamcatchers to begin ramping up operations.
Due to delays caused by the COVID-19 emergency, the Department continued to provide vocational rehabilitation services longer than originally planned in the agreement. In December 2020, DOR discovered the split was not adequate to fully reimburse the Department’s expenditures through the end of FY 2019-20. Agreement No. 21-082 provided a grant match to reimburse the Department for services provided between January 1, 2020 through June 30, 2020 and modified the Department and Dreamcatchers budgets to allow for full compensation.
On August 6, 2021, it was discovered by DOR that the agreement was missing the required DR325 Grant/Contract Signature Authorization form. DOR can not finalize and approve the agreement until the form is signed by the County and returned.
With your Board’s approval, the Department will be able to submit the form to comply with DOR funding requirements and continue to reimburse for services.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #31, March 23, 2021
BAI #34, March 10, 2020
BAI #34, December 5, 2017
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - DR325 Grant/Contract Signature Authorization Form
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa