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Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board approve and authorize the Chair to sign a Fiscal Year 2021-22 Budget Transfer Request increasing operating transfers in the amount of $750,000 to the HHSA Behavioral Health Division from the American Rescue Plan Act Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds. (4/5 vote required).
FUNDING: 100% American Rescue Plan Act Coronavirus State and Local Recovery Funds.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
On March 11, 2021, President Biden signed into law the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), which allocated $1.9 trillion to assist in the recovery from the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic, of which El Dorado County received a direct allocation of $37.46 million.
On November 9, 2021, the Board approved the allocation of $7,264,000 in ARPA Coronavirus State and Local Fiscal Recovery Funds (SLFRF) funding to the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) Behavioral Health Division based upon a recommendation from HHSA and the Chief Administrative Office (File ID: 21-1680). This allocation was approved to be utilized as bridge funding to cover costs associated with Psychiatric Health Facility (PHF) administrative days and Institute for Mental Disease (IMD) placements which have been impacted due to COVID facility closures and reduced capacity for placements, statewide. The funding was also approved for use in improving the Behavioral Health continuum of care. HHSA will provide the Board with an update on the plans for improving the Behavioral Health continuum of care by August 15, 2022.
On April 5, 2022, the Board approved a budget transfer of ARPA SLFRF funds to the HHSA Behavioral Health Division in the amount of $3,000,000 (File ID: 22-0567), which represented the initial estimate of the costs of PHF administrative days and IMD placements. This current request for an additional $750,000 in FY 2021-22 ARPA SLFRF is due to a revised estimate of the increase in costs of the associated behavioral health ...
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