DATE: August 24, 2021
TO: Board of Supervisors
SUBMITTED BY: Dawan Utecht, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT: Amendment to Agreement with the Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission
RECOMMENDED ACTION(S):
TITLE
1. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Amendment I to Agreement No. 20-283 (State Agreement No. 19MHSOAC052) with the California State Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission to move unspent funds to subsequent grant years, extending the term by one year from September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025 with no change to the compensation maximum of $6,000,000; and,
2. Approve and authorize the Chairman to execute an Amendment I to Agreement No. 21-111 with the Fresno County Superintendent of Schools, to extend the term for school-based mental health and prevention and early intervention services by one year from September 1, 2024 through August 31, 2025 with no change to the compensation maximum of $6,000,000.
REPORT
Approval of the recommended actions will extend the agreement terms for an additional year due to the COVID-19 public health emergency delaying program implementations and operations. The recommended amendment with the California State Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) will extend the implementation and operation of the awarded Mental Health Student Services Act (MHSSA) grant programs using prior fiscal year unspent funding. The summary of services remains unchanged and will 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 the County.
ALTERNATIVE ACTION(S):
Should your Board not approve the recommended actions, the fiscal budgets will not be amended to meet the implementation needs of the program and development of the Wellness Center will be delayed until after the start of the upcoming school year.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no increase in Net County Cost associated with the recommended actions. Unspent Senate Bill (SB) 75 (Chapter 51, Statutes of 2019) and MHSSA funding will be reallocated over a five-year period. Sufficient appropriations and estimated revenues are included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s Org 5630 FY 2021-22 Recommended Budget and will be included in subsequent budget requests.
DISCUSSION:
On June 5, 2018, the Board approved Agreement No. 18-308 with Fresno County Superintendent of Schools (FCSS) to provide Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) specialty mental health and prevention and early intervention services to individuals aged 0-22 and their families at school sites throughout the County. The goal of the All 4 Youth Program is to provide a school based integrated system of care for the behavioral health needs of youth and their families. Services include individual and group therapy, intensive case management, rehabilitation, medication support, and other related services.
In July 2019, the California 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 over a four-year grant cycle to fund new or existing partnerships. Since the County has an existing partnership with FCSS, the County was eligible to receive a grant amount of $6,000,000.
On December 12, 2019, the Request for Application (RFA) was released from the MHSOAC with a submission deadline of February 28, 2020. The Department and the local education agency, FCSS, collaborated to develop a proposal.
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 the County as one of the counties awarded with the MHSSA grant.
On August 4, 2020, your Board approved Agreement No. 20-283 (State Agreement 19MHSOAC052) with the MHSOAC to receive competitive grant funds to be passed through to the local education agency and partner, FCSS, to implement the submitted proposal.
On April 13, 2021 your Board approved the Agreement No. 21-111 with FCSS to implement the Wellness Center program to fund capital investments and expansion of the prevention and early intervention component in the All 4 Youth Program. Four new service delivery locations, Wellness Centers, will be strategically established throughout the County to increase mental health awareness and access. These centers will provide outreach, prevention and early intervention services, behavioral health services, and referral to supportive services to youth and their families. The key component of this expansion includes the recruitment and incorporation of Peer/Family Partners from the local community, along with their lived experience that reflects the population they serve, these Peer/Family Partner services will bridge the underserved and/or unserved populations to resources in the community as well as compliment the All 4 Youth Program’s clinical treatment services.
Due to the COVID19 public health emergency, implementation and operation of the original application proposal was delayed, resulting in unspent funds.
Your Board’s approval of the recommended amendments will extend the contract term a year to continue services and spend down any unspent funds. The recommended amendment with MHSOAC and with FCSS will move cost savings within the budget and capital investment funds to grant year one to allow for development of the second Wellness Center. The development of the additional centers in grant year one will align with the re-opening of the 2021-22 school year - which is projected to exhibit an increase in mental health needs for the youth and their families - as well as school staff transitioning back onto school campuses.
The recommended amendments have the potential to become five-year contracts with MHSOAC and with FCSS, if funds remain. The contract term will be in alignment with the MHSOAC contract of September 1, 2020 to August 31, 2025.
OTHER REVIEWING AGENCIES:
The Behavioral Health Board was informed of the MHSOAC amendments during the February 19, 2020 Behavioral Health Board meeting.
REFERENCE MATERIAL:
BAI #35, April 13, 2021
BAI #32, August 4, 2020
BAI #32, March 24, 2020
BAI #9, June 5, 2018
ATTACHMENTS INCLUDED AND/OR ON FILE:
On file with Clerk - Amendment I to Agreement No. 20-283 with MHSOAC
On file with Clerk - Amendment I to Agreement No. 21-111 with FCSS
CAO ANALYST:
Sonia M. De La Rosa