To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Administration
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
SUBJECT:
title
Resolution Adopting a Recruitment and Retention Incentive Program for Identified Job Classifications assigned to the Department of Health and Human Services - Behavioral Health Programs of Humboldt County Correctional Facility and Diversion (4/5 Vote Required)
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Deallocate a 1.0 FTE Office Assistant I/II (BU 424, job class 0179A/B, salary range 341/351, position 01); and
2. Allocate a 1.0 FTE Medical Office Assistant I/II (BU 424, job class 0574A/B, salary range 341/351), assigned to DHHS Behavioral Health Humboldt County Correctional Facility (HCCF) and Diversion programs; and
3. Adopt the attached resolution adopting a recruitment and retention incentive program for fiscal years 2025-26 and 2026-27 for a total of 13 allocations in the classifications of Supervising Behavioral Health Clinician (class 0916), Behavioral Health Clinician I/II (class 0909A/B), Behavioral Health Case Manager I/II (0907A/B), Peer Coach I/II/III (0577A/B/C), Medical Office Assistant I/II (0574A/B), and Substance Abuse Counselor Trainee/I/II (class 0491T/A/B) assigned to the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) - Behavioral Health Humboldt County Correctional Facility (HCCF) and Diversion programs (Attachment 1) (4/5 Vote Required).
Body
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Workforce & Operational Excellence
Strategic Plan Category: 3003 - Enhance employee recruitment and retention
DISCUSSION:
Staffing levels continue to be a major issue for DHHS to appropriately serve community members, staff and partners. Currently, DHHS has a total of 13 allocations in the DHHS Behavioral Health programs of HCCF and Diversion, 5 of which are currently vacant. Additionally, DHHS Behavioral Health is requesting to deallocate a 1.0 FTE Office Assistant I/II and to allocate a 1.0 FTE Medical Office Assistant I/II instead, which will be assigned to the HCCF and Diversion programs:
|
Number of Allocations by Job Classification: |
Current Status: |
|
One (1) - 1.0 FTE Supervising Behavioral Health Clinician |
1 vacant |
|
Four (4) - 1.0 FTE Behavioral Health Clinician I/II |
2 filled, 2 vacant |
|
Five (5) - 1.0 FTE Behavioral Health Case Manager I/II |
4 filled, 1 vacant |
|
One (1) - 1.0 FTE Peer Coach I/II/III |
1 vacant |
|
One (1) - 1.0 FTE Substance Abuse Counselor Trainee/I/II |
1 vacant |
|
One (1) - 1.0 FTE Medical Office Assistant I/II |
1 new re-allocation upon BOS approval |
The California Department of State Hospitals (DSH) Felony Mental Health Diversion program, per Penal Code (PC) section 1001.36 and Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) 4361, was funded as a program to allow felony Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST) defendants and felony defendants the courts deemed likely to be found IST on their current charges to be diverted into intensive community mental health treatment in lieu of inpatient DSH competency restoration treatment. The DSH Felony Mental Health Diversion program partners with counties, such as Humboldt, in order to connect individuals to long-term community treatment after the completion of diversion. The intended outcome of the program is to provide IST defendants with ongoing community supports and mental health treatment to prevent the circumstances that led to arrest.
DSH’s diversion program is intended to serve eligible felony IST defendants in intensive community-based service settings. If defendants are successful in the program, their current charges may be dropped. DSH’s community-based restoration (CBR) program is also community-based treatment, but with the focus of restoring competency so a defendant’s criminal proceedings can resume. Once an individual is restored to competency and their charges are resolved, or once an individual completes diversion and the charges are dropped, the county will be responsible for transitioning them from DSH-funded housing to long-term community treatment and support to ultimately reduce the cycle of criminalization.
The impacts of the staffing shortages in the above-referenced classifications have impacts on staff. DHHS staff care deeply for their community and helping others. Lack of adequate staffing in these programs has impacted staff, resulting in increased unplanned absences and reduced workforce wellness and morale.
Despite these challenges some staff have stayed and kept working for DHHS and others have joined the team, but these numbers are few. Despite DHHS leadership and staff efforts to attract and retain talent in these programs, staffing shortages remain, and the concern is that without incentives vacancy rates will continue to increase and the ability to serve the community will continue to decrease.
In an effort to stimulate recruitment and retention of the above-referenced classifications in these programs, DHHS is proposing a recruitment and retention incentive program. The incentive program would provide a one-time recruitment and retention incentive of $10,000 per eligible employee to be paid as follows:
|
Current employees assigned to the DHHS Behavioral Health programs of HCCF or Diversion AND that hold permanent status in classifications listed above at the time of adoption of this resolution: |
$3,000 to be issued the pay period following Board approval of this resolution; AND $7,000 to be issued 26 pay periods following issuance of the first payment. |
|
Current employees assigned to the DHHS Behavioral Health programs of HCCF or Diversion AND that hold probationary status in classifications listed above at the time of adoption of this resolution: |
$3,000 upon successful completion of probationary period and attaining permanent status in the eligible classification; AND, $7,000 to be issued 26 pay periods following issuance of the first payment. |
|
Current employees that promote, demote, or transfer into an eligible position with an effective date after adoption of this resolution and before June 30, 2026. |
$3,000 upon successful completion of 13 pay periods; AND, $7,000 to be issued 26 pay period following issuance of the first payment. |
|
Newly hired employees assigned to the DHHS Behavioral Health programs of HCCF or Diversion AND that are in probationary status in one of the classifications listed above with a start date after adoption of this resolution and before June 30, 2026: |
$3,000 upon successful completion of probationary period and attaining permanent status in the eligible classification; AND, $7,000 to be issued 26 pay periods following issuance of the first payment. |
Eligibility Parameters:
• Staff who have their probationary period extended shall not be eligible for this incentive payment until they have successfully completed their probationary period in the eligible classification and/or assignment.
• Staff who voluntarily promote, demote or transfer out of an eligible classification or assignment prior to the pay period start date that the payment effective date falls within shall forfeit eligibility for this incentive payment.
• Staff who hold permanent status in an eligible classification and assignment who are reassigned out of an eligible assignment due to program need shall receive a pro-rated amount of the second payment. The pro-rated amount will be calculated based on the number of pay periods worked in the eligible assignment.
• Staff who separate from the county prior to the pay period start date that the payment effective date falls within shall forfeit eligibility for this incentive payment.
• Staff in less than 1.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) positions shall receive pro-rated payment amounts based on their FTE.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Mental Health Fund 1170-424, revenue line 707254, Other Grants
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
|
Expenditures (1170, 424) |
FY25-26 |
FY26-27 Projected* |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$39,000.00 |
$91,000.00 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$39,000.00 |
$91,000.00 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
|
Funding Sources (1170, 424) |
FY25-26 |
FY26-27 Projected* |
|
State/Federal Funds |
$39,000.00 |
$91,000.00 |
|
Total Funding Sources |
$39,000.00 |
$91,000.00 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
Narrative Explanation of Financial Impact:
In addition to the recommended re-allocation of the Medical Office Assistant I/II, the Supervising Behavioral Health Clinician, Behavioral Health Clinician I/II, Behavioral Health Case Manager I/II, Peer Coach I/II/III, and the Substance Abuse Counselor Trainee/I/II position reside in fund 1170, Budget Unit 424, and the incentive payments for these positions are supported through 100% grant funding. This grant funding is provided through the Department of State Hospitals and designed to assist counties in supporting the work needed to provide Diversion services to justice involved clients found Incompetent to Stand Trial (IST).
STAFFING IMPACT:
|
Position Title |
Position Control Number |
Monthly Salary Range (1A-E Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
|
Office Assistant I/II |
424-0179A/B-01 |
341/351 |
0.0 |
1.0 |
|
Medical Office Assistant I/II |
424-0574A/B-TBD |
341/351 |
1.0 |
0.0 |
Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impact:
Only vacated positions already budgeted in the Adopted Fiscal Year 2025-26 budget are considered available to fill, and only after ensuring the position would be utilized to meet mandates. This action will have no net impact on total positions as this is a re-allocation.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
N/A
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board may choose not to adopt the attached resolution adopting a recruitment and retention incentive program for the DHHS Behavioral Health programs of HCCF and Diversion. However, this alternative is not recommended, as these programs are facing critical recruitment and retention levels that if unaddressed would continue to hinder DHHS’ ability to meet the needs of the community.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 - Resolution
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: N/A