Title
Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Accept the grant award to HHSA from the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) in the amount of $3,339,411, for the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) Program for a retroactive term beginning June 23, 2023, through June 30, 2027; and
2) Delegate authority to the HHSA Director, or the HHSA Chief Assistant Director, to execute the BHBH Funding-In Agreement 8168 with Advocates for Human Potential (AHP), the entity administering the funding, and any amendments that do not increase Net County Cost, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management, and subsequent administrative documents or required fiscal or programmatic reports.
FUNDING: 100% State of California funding through the Department of Health Care Services for the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing Program. No match requirement.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
Bridge Housing is specifically defined as a temporary housing program for individuals or families who have accepted and are enrolled in a permanent housing program but have not yet moved into a permanent unit. Bridge Housing is intended to assist homeless individuals and families by providing housing and case management with the goal of returning the individuals to the most independent living situation possible.
DHCS developed the BHBH Program to utilize $1.5 billion in funding to county behavioral health agencies and Tribal entities to operate bridge housing to address the immediate and sustainable housing needs of people experiencing homelessness who have serious behavioral health conditions including a serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance use disorder (SUD). The BHBH Program, which was signed into law in September 2022 under Assembly Bill 179 (Chapter 249, Statutes of 2022), provides funding through June 30, 2027, for operational and supportive services, not covered under other funding sources, to each Behavioral Health Agency (BHA)...
Click here for full text