To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Administration
Agenda Section: Consent
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
SUBJECT:
title
Authorize the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services - Behavioral Health Services to Utilize Dedicated Funding in the Amount of $2,670,266.03 as the County of Humboldt’s Funding Match for the Sempervirens Addressing Crisis Care with Dignity: Psychiatric Health Facility and Crisis Stabilization Unit Project and Supplemental Budget in the Amount of $500,000 (4/5 Vote Required)
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Authorize the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)- Behavioral Health Services to utilize up to $2,670,266.03 of dedicated funding from the Amended 2020 Finance Plan as the County of Humboldt's funding match for the Sempervirens Addressing Crisis Care with Dignity: Psychiatric Health Facility and Crisis Stabilization Unit Project (4/5 Vote Required); and
2. Direct the Auditor Controller to create a 10-digit orgkey under fund 1170, budget unit 495 and create separate building number object line under Fixed Assets to track the building costs; and
3. Approve the supplemental budget (Attachment 3) in the amount of $500,000 for fiscal year (FY) 2025-26 (4/5 Vote Required); and
4. Direct the Clerk of the Board to provide the DHHS - Contract Unit with one fully executed, certified copy of the Board order related to this item.
Body
STRATEGIC PLAN:
This action supports the following areas of your Board’s Strategic Plan.
Area of Focus: Safe & Healthy Communities
Strategic Plan Category: 1002- Remove barriers to quality healthcare
DISCUSSION:
On Sept. 10, 2024, the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors (Board) adopted Resolution No. 24-96 which authorized the Humboldt County DHHS - Behavioral Health to apply for, and accept, if awarded, up to $45,000,000 in grant funding made available through the Proposition 1: Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) for the construction of a new Psychiatric Health Facility in Humboldt County.
DHHS - Behavioral Health worked in close collaboration with the Humboldt County Department of Public Works to complete the grant application and site design related to the construction of a new Psychiatric Health Facility in Humboldt County. Despite severe time and staffing constraints, both departments pursued the creation of this proposal as a long-standing county priority for the community.
The County of Humboldt submitted a Bond BHCIP Round 1: Launch Ready grant application for this much needed project in October 2024. The grant requirements included a 10% fund match which can include cash, equity value from property and sunk costs. A funding request for up to $2,670,266.03 from the Amended 2020 Finance Plan to be used as the County of Humboldt’s funding match was approved by the Humboldt County Administrative Office on Nov. 6, 2025.
On May 6, 2025, DHHS - Behavioral Health received a conditional notice of award for $43,550,538.99 for the Sempervirens Addressing Crisis Care with dignity: Psychiatric Health Facility and Crisis Stabilization Unit Project. On Oct. 14, 2025, DHHS-Behavioral Health received the Program Funding Agreement. After calculating the equity value of the property and sunk cost match, the remaining required cash match per the Program Funding Agreement is $2,670,266.03. The Program Funding Agreement requires the county to provide evidence of this funding match prior to the release of any state funds for the project. The Program Funding Agreement also requires that the county’s match funding be fully expended prior to the release of the final 25% of state grant funds. The Finance Plan terms require the funds to be expended on or before June 30, 2027.
Accordingly, it is recommended that your Board authorize DHHS - Behavioral Health to utilize up to $2,670,266.03 of previously dedicated funding from the Amended 2020 Finance Plan as the cash funding match for the Sempervirens Addressing Crisis Care with Dignity: Psychiatric Health Facility and Crisis Stabilization Unit Project as directed by the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).
It should be noted that the design for the new Sempervirens includes 26 staff and visitor parking spots and a law enforcement drop-off spot. However, once construction begins, this project will displace approximately 88 permitted parking spots currently utilized by Humboldt County and Superior Court employees on a first come first serve basis. Per the June 2007 Joint Occupancy Agreement with the Court, the county is obligated to provide 64 public parking spaces for shared use by Court staff, county staff, jurors and the general public on first come, first served basis in the gravel lot; 13 underground secured parking spaces in the basement of the Courthouse for exclusive use by the court; and the 88 above-ground permit parking spaces currently in the surface parking lot to the south of the Courthouse for shared use by Court and county staff, on a first come, first served basis. This dilemma will need to be addressed prior to Sempervirens construction, estimated to begin Spring 2027.
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Amended 2020 Finance Plan and Proposition 1: BHCIP
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
|
Expenditures (Fund, Budget Unit) |
FY25-26 |
FY26-27 Projected* |
FY27-28 Projected* |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
- |
2,170,266.03 |
2,400,000.00 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
500,000.00 |
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
500,000.00 |
2,170,266.03 |
2,400,000.00 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
|
Funding Sources (Fund, Budget Unit) |
FY25-26 |
FY26-27 Projected* |
FY2728 Projected* |
|
Finance Plan |
500,000.00 |
2,170,266.03 |
|
|
State/Federal Funds |
|
|
2,400,000.00 |
|
Total Funding Sources |
500,000.00 |
2,170.266.03 |
2,400,000.00 |
*Projected amounts are estimates and are subject to change.
Narrative Explanation of Financial Impact:
On May 6, 2025, DHHS was notified of conditional award in the amount of $43,550,538.99 from the BHCIP grant. This grant requires a 10% match in the amount of $4,355,053.89. Property equity of $1,480,000 and $204,787.86 in sunk costs will be applied to the match requirement leaving a cash match of balance of $2,670,266.03. The County Administrative Office has approved use of the Amended 2020 Finance Plan funds in the amount of $2,670,266.03. This was not anticipated at the time of the FY 2025-26 budget adoption, therefore it is necessary to supplemental the budget to account for these funds. In order to improve tracking, staff propose creating a 10-digit orgkey fund 1170, budget unit 495 and separate building number fixed asset object code to be determined by the Auditor-Controller.
STAFFING IMPACT:
The recommended actions will not impact current staffing levels. Once construction is completed, estimated to be before June 30, 2030, staffing will comply with California Department of Health care Services and California Department of Public Health licensing requirements for a sixteen-bed psychiatric health facility and four-bed crisis stabilization unit, as currently required at the existing Sempervirens facility.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
DHCS
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Your Board may choose not to approve the utilization of previously designated funding from the Amended 2020 Finance Plan as the County of Humboldt’s funding match for the Sempervirens Addressing Crisis Care with Dignity: Psychiatric Health Facility and Crisis Stabilization Unit Project. However, this alternative is not recommended since it will not allow DHHS - Behavioral Health Services to receive $43,550,538.99 in state bond funding to construct a new Psychiatric Health Facility in Humboldt County.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Approved Amended 2020 Finance Plan Funding Request
2. Program Funding Agreement
3. Supplemental Budget
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Meeting of: 9/10/2024
File No.: 24-1337