Title
Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Approve and delegate authority to the HHSA Director, or the Chief Assistant Director to execute Intergovernmental Agreement 26-60027 (Fenix 10184) with Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), a reimbursement-based revenue agreement with a “zero-dollar” maximum obligation, that establishes terms and conditions for the provision of behavioral health services, for the term of July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2029;
2) Approve and delegate authority to the HHSA Director, or the Chief Assistant Director to execute the accompanying Contractor Certification Clause, which is required to be returned to DHCS with the Agreement;
3) Authorize the HHSA Director, or the Chief Assistant Director to execute amendments relating to Agreement 10184, which does not increase Net County Cost; and
4) Authorize the HHSA Director, Chief Assistant Director, or Chief Financial Officer (as applicable) to execute programmatic, administrative and financial documents relating to the Agreement 10184.
FUNDING: There is no funding included in this Agreement; however, it establishes the requirements to receive funding from various behavioral health funding sources.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
DHCS administers the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), Lanterman-Petris-Short Act, Projects for Assistance in Transition from Homelessness, Community Mental Health Services Block Grant, Substance Abuse Treatment and Prevention Block Grant, and the Crisis Counseling Assistance and Training Program, and oversees the County provision of community behavioral health services pursuant to the Bronzan-McCorquodale Act (Realignment). The Intergovernmental Agreement presented in this agenda item, also referred to as the Performance Contract, establishes the terms, conditions, and requirements that the County must meet in order to receive funding for providing, or contracting with subcontractors, for the aforementioned services. Following the passage of Senate Bill 325, the BHSA amends and replaces the Mental Health Services Act effective July 1, 2026.
HHSA’s Behavioral Health Division (BHD) has a statutory requirement to serve Medi-Cal members with Severe Emotional Disturbance or Severe Mental Illness and/or Substance Use Disorder under the State Mental Health Plan Agreement 25-50128 (Fenix 9782) and the Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System Agreement 25-50096 (Fenix 9726). BHSA and Realignment funding may be used as the Medi-Cal match for these required services, while other discretionary components of this Performance Contract serve the broader El Dorado County Community. State and federal grants administered through this Performance Contract are utilized to support required programs and services as well as allocations for limited discretionary behavioral health services.
Performance Contract 10184 is a renewal of Intergovernmental Agreement 21-10079 (Fenix 5819), which was previously approved by the Board on August 31, 2021, and expires June 30, 2026 (Legistar file 21-1106). This Performance Contract was issued by DHCS on March 12, 2026, and was processed immediately by HHSA to meet the State’s deadline for execution. HHSA recommends the Board approve this item to allow BHD to meet the State’s execution deadline and to prevent any lapse in contracts.
ALTERNATIVES:
In the event this Performance Contract is not approved by the Board, there would be no revenue available to replace over $30 million in funding that would be at risk. Mandated programs and associated staff will be unfunded, and the County will be unable to provide mental health services to residents of the County.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
08/31/21, 21-1106, HHSA DHCS Performance Plan 5819
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel and Risk Management
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
This item provides access to annual state and federal grants, allocations, BHSA, Behavioral Health Realignment, and Medi-Cal reimbursement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS:
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
N/A
CONTACT:
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director, Health and Human Services Agency