Title
Health and Human Services Agency recommending the Board adopt and authorize the Chair to sign Resolution 166-2018, thereby:
1) Approving and authorizing the County of El Dorado’s participation in the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) Inter-Member Transfer Program;
2) Authorizing the transfer of funds to CalMHSA as called for by the Inter-Member Transfer Program Participation Agreement 3095 (2018-PT-EDC), in the initial amount of $16,727.22 for the first quarter, with continuous funding thereafter, in an amount determined after first quarter assessment of actual services as the Receiving County and as the Sending County;
3) Authorizing CalMHSA to send and receive funds on behalf of County, consistent with the provisions of the Participation Agreement 3095 (2018-PT-EDC) and Welfare and Institution Code Section 14717.1;
4) Authorizing the Director of Health and Human Services Agency to execute the Participation Agreement on behalf of the County; and
5) Authorizing the Director of Health and Human Services Agency to execute further documents relating to the Inter-Member Transfer Program Participation Agreement 3095 (2018-PT-EDC), including amendments, contingent upon approval by County Counsel.
FUNDING: Federal, State, Realignment.
Body
DEPARTMENT RECOMMENDATION:
Health and Human Services Agency recommending the Board adopt and authorize the Chair to sign this Resolution which will authorize the County of El Dorado’s participation in the California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA) Inter-Member Transfer Program and allow for the transfer of funds to CalMHSA as called for by the Inter-Member Transfer Program Participation Agreement (PA) 3095 (2018-PT-EDC), in the initial amount of $16,727.22 for the first quarter, with an estimate of $80,000 per fiscal year continuous funding thereafter. In addition, this Resolution will authorize CalMHSA to send and receive funds on behalf of County, consistent with the provisions of PA 3095 (2018-PT-EDC), and Welfare and Institution Code (WIC) section 14717.1. Lastly, this Resolution will authorize the Director of the Health and Human Services Agency to sign the Participation Agreement on behalf of the County.
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
County of El Dorado’s Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) provides specialty mental health services (SMHS) to eligible foster youth, and is reimbursed through federal financial participation (FFP) and county match through Medi-Cal billing. Recent amendments to the WIC change the responsibility of these services from the county of jurisdiction to the county of residence in which the foster youth resides. Approval of this item will allow foster children who are placed outside of County of El Dorado to access SMHS in a timely manner. It will also allow HHSA to be reimbursed timely for SMHS provided to foster children from another county placed in County of El Dorado. Under the WIC section 14717.1, responsibility for providing or arranging for SMHS shall promptly transfer from the county of original jurisdiction to the county in which a foster child resides, subject to any exceptions established pursuant to that section. This is known as “presumptive transfer.” Counties have agreed that the county of original jurisdiction (sending county) remains responsible for reimbursing the receiving county for SMHS provided or arranged by the receiving county.
Implementation of this statute requires a system for counties to make prompt payments to each other. Under this program, CalMHSA acts as a fiscal agent for participating counties to make and receive transfer payments.
County of El Dorado is already a member of the CalMHSA, a joint powers authority created to perform administrative and fiscal services on behalf of its members. Approval of this item will allow the County of El Dorado to participate in CalMHSA's Inter-Member Transfer Program to facilitate prompt payments between counties as required by WIC section 14717.1. This agreement may be a model for future requirements necessitating intercounty transfer of funds.
CalMHSA will operate a banking pool, holding one interest bearing account for each participating County. County of El Dorado will have a separate financial ledger account and will receive periodic statements of year-to-date balance, payments to other counties, payments from other counties, administration costs and interest earned. The initial amount required is estimated to be the first quarter of expenditures but will be reconciled as actual expenses are made. Required future funding will be based on the projection of actual expenses in order to make funding continuously available for the program. CalMHSA will transfer funds back to the County of El Dorado if it is determined that there is more funding than deemed necessary for the program.
In addition to the presumptive transfer payments already required of the County of El Dorado under WIC section 14717.1, there would be an administrative charge by CalMHSA for its services, currently estimated at less than 5%. This amount, expected to be reimbursed as an administrative cost in Medi-Cal, is believed to be less than the cost to the County of El Dorado to maintain its own administrative system for managing, sending, and receiving presumptive transfer payments
ALTERNATIVES:
Disapproval of Agreement for Services 3095 (2018-PT-EDC), will result in the inability for foster children who are placed outside of County of El Dorado to access SMHS in a timely manner, and will prohibit HHSA to be reimbursed timely for SMHS provided to foster children placed in County of El Dorado, thereby causing the County to be out of compliance with WIC Section 14717.1. Disapproval of this item will not allow the County to participate in CalMHSA's Inter-Member Transfer Program to facilitate prompt payments between counties.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel, Procurement and Contracts, and Human Resources
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board approve this item.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with this Agenda item. Sufficient appropriations were included in the fiscal year 2018-19 budget, and will be included in future budgets for the term of the Agreement
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Clerk of the Board to obtain signature of Chair on one (1) original Resolution.
2) Clerk of the Board to return one (1) certified Resolution and one (1) certified Minute Order to HHSA Contracts Unit at 3057 Briw Rd., Suite B.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
County Strategic Plan: Healthy Communities - Improved health, well-being and self-sufficiency of El Dorado County communities, residents and visitors.
CONTACT
Patricia Charles-Heathers, Ph.D., M.P.A., Director