Title
Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 113-2024 delegating authority to the HHSA Director, Chief Assistant Director, or Behavioral Health Director to accept annual funding allocations and execute all necessary documents required to secure and maintain the Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness, Community Mental Health Block Grant and Substance Use Prevention, Treatment, and Recovery Services Block Grant, allocations issued by the Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), for the term through June 30, 2025, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management;
2) Delegate authority to the HHSA Director, Chief Assistant Director, or Behavioral Health Director to execute additional documents related to these grant allocations/agreements and any amendments thereto, that do not increase Net County Cost, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management; and
3) Approve and authorize the HHSA Chief Fiscal Officer to execute any required fiscal reports for said allocations.
FUNDING: Federal and State funding.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
The County of El Dorado (County) Board of Supervisors Policy A-6, Grant Applications, establishes the Board as the sole authority for accepting grant awards and approving grant agreements. In accordance with said policy, HHSA has presented many funding/revenue agreements, grants, and other funding allocations to the Board for acceptance, over the course of many years.
On an annual basis, DHCS issues at least three annual revenue agreements to HHSA that require signature by the HHSA Director or Director of Behavioral Health. These include, but may not be limited to the PATH, MHBG, and SUBG funding agreements, as defined below:
PATH Funding
PATH funds are specifically designated for outreach, case management, staff training, referrals to primary health services, job training and relevant housing services for homeless clients of the HHSA Behavioral Health Division. Historically these funding requirements have been successfully fulfilled via County subawarded contracts with local providers.
MHBG Funding
Since 1997, MHBG funds have been used in collaboration with other public and private organizations such as the HHSA Social Services programs and the El Dorado County Office of Education to address the needs of children/adolescents with serious emotional disturbance. MHBG is comprised of funds to: 1) support the County in carrying out plans for providing comprehensive community mental health services to adults (age 18 and over) with serious mental illnesses, and to children (under age 18) with serious emotional disturbances; 2) provide treatment to patients diagnosed with dual disorders (psychiatric disorders along with alcohol and other drug use disorders); and 3) provide treatment to adolescents and young adults who experience psychotic symptoms or a psychotic episode for the first time.
SUBG Funding
Mandated by Congress, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) administers the SUBG noncompetitive, formula grant through SAMHSA's Center for Substance Abuse Treatment (CSAT) Performance Partnership Branch, in collaboration with the Center for Substance Abuse Prevention (CSAP) Division of State Programs. The SUBG noncompetitive, formula grant was formerly known as the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant (SABG). DHCS acts as a pass-through agency to provide SUBG funding to local non-federal governments to either provide substance use disorder services (SUDS) directly within their communities, or through subcontracts with local SUD community- and faith-based providers (non-governmental organizations referred to as grantees). The SUBG Program's objective is to help plan, implement, and evaluate activities that prevent and treat substance abuse to individuals and families within the community. SUBG funds are used for substance abuse prevention, treatment, recovery support, and other services to supplement Medicaid. The SUBG program targets the following populations and service areas: 1) Pregnant women and women with dependent children; 2) Intravenous Drug Users (IVDU); 3) Tuberculosis (TB) services; and 4) Primary prevention services.
As a requirement for funding acceptance, each of the referenced DHCS allocations require the HHSA Director or Behavioral Health Director’s signature. Beginning June 8, 2021, and continuing annually thereafter, the Board has adopted an annual Signature Authority Resolution for these Behavioral Health Division revenue/grant agreements to allow the HHSA Director or Behavioral Health Director to sign all necessary documents to secure the funding timely, ensuring the DHCS deadlines for returning executed agreements are met (Legistar files: 21-0571, 22-0813, and 23-0831). To ensure that these annual funding agreements issued by the DHCS are executed timely and to ensure the continuation of essential services, HHSA is recommending the Board adopt and sign the attached Resolution delegating authority to the HHSA Director, Chief Assistant Director, or Behavioral Health Director to accept and execute these funding allocations/agreements.
ALTERNATIVES:
Disapproval of the Resolution will mean that HHSA will present these allocations individually to the Board to accept funding and request that the Board delegate signature authority to the HHSA Director, Chief Assistant Director, or Behavioral Health Director to sign all necessary documents to secure the funding. This may result in delayed funding acceptance and hinder HHSA’s ability to meet DHCS required expenditure deadlines and performance periods.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
1) 06/08/21, 21-0571, HHSA 2021-2022 BH Signature authority delegation resolution 049-2021
2) 06/21/22, 22-0813, HHSA BH Director Signing Authority, Resolution FY 22/23
3) 06/06/23, 23-0831, HHSA BH Director Annual Signature Resolution
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Approved by County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with these revenue allocations/agreements. Sufficient appropriations have been included in HHSA’s Fiscal Year 2024-25 Budget.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Clerk of the Board to obtain the Chair’s signature on one (1) original of the Resolution.
2) Clerk of the Board to return one (1) certified Resolution to Health and Human Services Agency, Contracts Unit via email at hhsa-contracts@edcgov.us.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
Safe and Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director, Health and Human Services Agency