DATE: October 22, 2019
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Dawan Utecht, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT: Agreement with Corporation for Supportive Housing
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Agreement with Corporation for Supportive Housing, for Technical Assistance consulting services related to the California Department of Housing and Community Development’s No Place Like Home Program and facilitation of a Supportive Housing Institute, for a three-year term effective upon execution through October 21, 2022 ($400,000).
REPORT
Approval of the recommended action will allow the Corporation for Supportive Housing (CSH) to provide the Department of Behavioral Health with technical assistance (TA) consulting services related to the No Place Like Home (NPLH) Program and to facilitate/operate a Supportive Housing Institute (SHI) in the County. The recommended action includes NPLH funding for the associated TA services and Mental Health Services Act - Community Services and Supports - System Development (MHSA - CSS) funds associated with the SHI, with no increase in Net County Cost. This item is countywide.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Non-approval of the recommended action may jeopardize future supportive housing development opportunities. During Department community meetings, feedback from stakeholders has clearly demonstrated a need for increased housing options and capacity for individuals living with a Serious Mental Illness (SMI) that are connected to departmental services.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended action. The maximum compensation for the recommended agreement is $400,000, which includes the NPLH TA Program ($150,000) and facilitation of a SHI ($250,000). The recommended agreement includes costs based upon deliverables as identified within the scope of work. The TA services will be funded with a NPLH TA grant. The facilitation of a SHI will be funded with MHSA - CSS dollars under the MHSA Plan program name of Fresno Housing Institute. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department’s Org 5630 FY 2019-20 Adopted Budget and will be included in future budget requests for the term’s duration.
DISCUSSION:
During Department community meetings, feedback from stakeholders has clearly demonstrated a need for additional housing options for those SMI individuals that are experiencing homelessness or at-risk of homelessness and are receiving departmental services. To address the need, the NPLH program Assembly Bill 1618, (Chapter 43, Statutes of 2016) allows California counties to develop permanent supportive housing (PSH) to increase housing capacity for the SMI population.
In October 2018, CSH conducted a review of existing Department PSH facilities: Renaissance at Trinity, Alta Monte and Santa Clara. Based upon review findings, the Department requested CSH to submit a SHI proposal for in-depth analysis, which led to the Department’s interest in contracting with them for a SHI in the County.
The SHI is a PSH project-planning forum for development teams such as developers, service providers, and property managers designed to ensure creation of successful supportive housing development applications and high-quality supportive housing production and implementation. SHI consists of five two-day sessions over a six-month period where development teams learn how to create highly competitive supportive housing development projects. The Department researched the SHI model and determined no other organizations provide a similar service. Further, CSH has a long-standing, extensive national presence in the development and training needs of organizations interested in developing PSH.
The NPLH TA grant enables counties to plan and prepare for the NPLH Program by appropriation of $6.2 million dedicated to TA activities - including securing the services of a consultant to assist counties with technical aspects of the Guidelines and Regulations. On November 6, 2018, the Board approved execution of the Standard Grant Award Agreement with the California Department of Housing and Community Development (HCD) to accept $150,000 in NPLH TA funds.
Through the Internal Services Department - Purchasing Division, Request for Proposals (RFP) No. 19-039: NPLH Technical Assistance Consultant was released on January 9, 2019, seeking NPLH TA consulting services for the Department. The RFP closed on January 29, 2019, with a single response from CSH, which included both NPLH TA consulting as well as SHI. Based upon previous research conducted by the Department, it was determined SHI is a service unique to CSH. The RFP evaluation committee, consisting of two Analysts and one Clinical Supervisor from the Department, a community member, and a member of the Behavioral Health Board, met and discussed the merits of the CSH proposal. The committee reached consensus to award to CSH based on the comprehensive content of the proposal, the extensive experience in NPLH knowledge, as well as experience providing NPLH TA to HCD and other organizations throughout California.
With your Board’s approval, the Department will commence services with CSH based upon a scope of work that includes specific contract deliverables and timelines related to both the NPLH TA consultation and implementation of SHI. The recommended agreement provides for termination due to non-allocation of funds upon giving a 30-day advance written notice to CSH and provides for termination without cause by CSH, the Department Director, or designee, upon giving a 60-day advance written notice to terminate.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The Behavioral Health Board was made aware of the recommended agreement during the April 2019 meeting.
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Agreement with Corporation for Supportive Housing
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa