Title
Probation Department recommending the Board:
1) Accept grant funding per Award Letter dated February 28, 2022, in accordance with Board Policy A-6, in an amount of $172,960, from the California Department of Health Care Services for the Behavioral Health Justice Intervention Services Project; and
2) Delegate authority to the Chief Probation Officer, or designee, to sign certifications on invoices to receive reimbursement for activities.
FUNDING: California Department of Health Care Services Behavioral Health Justice Intervention Services Project, funded by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration through the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act. (100%)
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
The Behavioral Health Justice Intervention Services (BHJIS) Project provides funding to help local communities address critical intervention points through which individuals with mental and substance use disorders can be diverted from criminal justice involvement. Funds may be used for a wide array of collaborative planning and development activities, training, implementation, reentry support, and diversion strategies.
Probation was notified of the grant opportunity for the BHJIS Project on December 9, 2021, and application documents were submitted on December 22, 2021. An award letter was received by Probation on February 28, 2022, stating Probations grant amount of $172,960.
The grant period is February 15, 2022, through February 14, 2023. Upon award notification, the grant period was retroactive, and any subsequent contract with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) will also be retroactive.
The Probation Department (Probation) proposes to use the funding for connections to treatment, thereby reducing justice system involvement for individuals with substance use disorders and/or serious mental illness. This will be achieved through staffing with partner agencies to routinely collect, input, and analyze required data elements as part of usual business operations; and developing a technology plan and scope of work that will enable system partners to receive real-time notifications of individuals with a positive mental health screen who are booked into custody.
In El Dorado County, the Project is expected to impact the 1,500 people with behavioral health concerns booked into jail annually and ensure that the 127 people booked into custody four or more times are identified at booking and referred to treatment services. It will seek to reduce the proportion of juvenile probationers who subsequently become adult probationers (50%) by providing earlier linkages to treatment services.
DHCS will be providing, and entering into a contract with all grantees, so grantees can submit invoices to DHCS for funding. Grantees are to furnish Statements of Work (SOW) to DHCS by March 15, 2022. DHCS will work on contract templates after grantees’ SOW’s are approved. Once received, Probation will process their contract for Board Approval as timely as possible.
Probation is drafting the future Board item for the contract with DHCS. At that time Probation will request the Board of Supervisors to approve the Chief Probation Officer to sign the grant agreement.
ALTERNATIVES
Should the Board decline to approve the Grant funding, the County would be ineligible to participate in the Program and, as a result, not be provided the funding identified for El Dorado County.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
California Department of Health Care Services.
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no General Fund impact Funding is provided via BHJIS Program Grant and will be included in the FY 2022-23 budget.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
N/A
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Jackie Cook, Administrative Analyst, 530-621-5588