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Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign four (4) financial operational Memorandum of Understandings (MOU) for CalFresh mutual aid plan protocol for post-disaster services accommodation to mutually support partnering County Human Services Agencies and their ability to maintain services in times of disaster or other emergencies, for the retroactive term of November 1, 2022 through October 31, 2025:
a) MOU 6936 with the Alpine County;
b) MOU 6937 with Mendocino County;
c) MOU 6938 with Calaveras County; and
d) MOU 6939 with Tuolumne County; and
2) Authorize the HHSA Director, or the Assistant Director of Human Services, to execute further documents relating to MOUs 6936, 6937, 6938, and 6939, including amendments that do not increase the maximum dollar amount or term of the MOUs, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management.
FUNDING: 50% Federal United States Department of Agriculture, 40% State General Fund, and 10% 1991 Realignment funding.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
The California Department of Social Services (CDSS) CalFresh Program, known federally as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program or SNAP, provides monthly food benefits to low-income individuals and families. CalFresh is the largest food program in California and provides an essential hunger safety net. CalFresh helps to improve the health and well-being of qualified households and individuals by providing them with CalFresh benefits to afford nutritious food, including more fruit, vegetables, and other healthy foods. The amount of benefits a household receives is dependent on household size, countable income, and monthly expenses, such as housing and utilities. CalFresh is a federally mandated program that is state-supervised and county-operated.
Disaster CalFresh (D-CalFresh) is a component of the CDSS CalFresh program, which provides temporary benefits to eligible disaster survivors while also facilitating the issuance of supplemental CalFresh benefits for ongoing households. D-CalFresh provides a month's worth of benefits on an Electronic Benefit Transfer (EBT) card which can be used to purchase food at authorized retail stores. D-CalFresh is only available when a Presidential Declaration for Individual Assistance has been declared in the affected area.
The CDSS requires coordination between regional counties to ensure that D-CalFresh benefits are readily available to disaster impacted households. Under the provisions of Assembly Bill (AB) 607 and California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 18917, all counties are required to submit a Disaster CalFresh county plan annually, which includes a mutual aid region made up of two or more counties.
To meet these requirements, the County of El Dorado Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) has previously partnered with Alpine County, Calaveras County, Mendocino County, and Tuolumne County as mutual aid counties in the event of a disaster in the region that requires CalFresh benefits. The purpose of the Mutual Aid MOUs is to support partner County Human Services Agencies and their ability to maintain services in times of disaster. Each county agrees to provide up to fourteen (14) calendar days of mutual aid and can make special arrangements to extend beyond that period as needed. These MOUs will be ready for use in the event of a disaster and funding may vary based on each county’s available funding at the time of a disaster.
This round of MOUs is the second such set between El Dorado County and these four (4) counties, with the first set of MOUs starting in 2019 and expiring October 31, 2022.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve this recommendation, HHSA would be out of compliance with State regulations that require El Dorado County to establish mutual aid partnerships in times of disaster.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Approved by County Counsel and Risk Management.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
These agreements are a renewal of prior year agreements. There is no General Fund impact associated with this item. HHSA doesn’t budget in anticipation of disaster, should the need for reimbursement to another county arise, HHSA will take a budget transfer request to Board to request an increase in appropriations and revenues. There will be no financial impact should HHSA assist another county during a disaster.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
1) Clerk of the Board to obtain signature of Chair on two (2) of each original Memorandums of Understanding 6936, 6937, 6938, 6939; and
2) Clerk of the Board to return one (1) of each of the fully executed Memorandum of Understandings to HHSA Contracts Unit at 3057 Briw Rd, Suite B.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Olivia Byron-Cooper, Interim Director, Health and Human Services Agency