To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Behavioral Health
Agenda Section: Consent
SUBJECT:
title
Participation Agreement with the California Mental Health Services Authority Regarding the County of Humboldt’s Involvement in the Inter-Member Transfer Program.
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors:
1. Grant a waiver of the Humboldt County Nuclear-Free Ordinance with regard to the attached participation agreement with the California Mental Health Services Authority;
2. Approve, and authorize the Department of Health and Human Services - Behavioral Health Director, or a designee thereof, to execute, the attached participation agreement with the California Mental Health Services Authority regarding the County of Humboldt’s involvement in the Inter-Member Transfer Program;
3. Authorize the Department of Health and Human Services - Behavioral Health Director, or a designee thereof, to execute any and all subsequent amendments to the attached participation agreement with the California Mental Health Services Authority after review and approval by County Counsel, Risk Management and the County Administrative Office; and
4. Direct the Clerk of the Board to return one (1) fully executed copy of the attached participation agreement with the California Mental Health Services Authority to the Department of Health and Human Services - Contract Unit for further processing.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Behavioral Health Fund (1170)
DISCUSSION:
Under Section 14717.1 of the California Welfare and Institutions Code, when a foster youth needing Specialty Mental Health Services (“SMHS”) is placed in a County other than where they currently reside, responsibility for, including the cost of, providing SMHS promptly transfers from the county of original jurisdiction (“sending county”) to the county in which the foster youth has been transferred (“receiving county”). This is known as “presumptive transfer.”
Under the California Mental Health Services Authority’s (“CalMHSA”) Inter-Member Transfer Program, participating counties have agreed that the sending county remains responsible for reimbursing the receiving county for county match dollars after SMHS are provided or arranged by the receiving county. Under this program, CalMHSA acts as a fiscal agent for participating counties to make and receive transfer payments of county match dollars.
The attached participation agreement with CalMHSA will allow the County of Humboldt to reimburse county match dollars to receiving counties for services provided to Humboldt County youth. Additionally, the attached participation agreement provides the ability for the County of Humboldt to receive partial reimbursement when foster youth are presumptively transferred to Humboldt County and receive SMHS. In order to participate, the Humboldt County Department of Health and Human Services - Behavioral Health (“DHHS - Behavioral Health”) must provide an initial deposit to CalMHSA, and those funds will be used for the reimbursement to receiving counties for services provided to Humboldt County youth who have been presumptively transferred.
The initial deposit amount is Thirty-Nine Thousand Two Hundred Five Dollars and Ninety-Three Cents ($39,205.93) plus a five percent (5%) administrative fee in the amount of One Thousand Nine Hundred Sixty Dollars and Thirty Cents ($1,960.30), for a total amount of Forty-One Thousand One Hundred Sixty-Six Dollars and Twenty-Three Cents ($41,166.23) payable upon execution of attached participation agreement. Once the initial funding amount of Thirty-Nine Thousand Two Hundred Five Dollars and Ninety-Three Cents ($39,205.93) is reduced by eighty percent (80%), CalMHSA will issue a request for replenishment of funds. The five percent (5%) administrative fee will be invoiced annually prior to July 1 of each year. The attached participation agreement with CalMHSA does not have a fixed term and will expire only upon termination by either party.
Accordingly, DHHS - Behavioral Health recommends that the Board of Supervisors approve, and authorize the DHHS - Behavioral Health Director, or a designee thereof, to execute, the attached participation agreement with CalMHSA regarding the County of Humboldt’s involvement in the Inter-Member Transfer Program. It is also recommended that the Board authorize the DHHS - Behavioral Health Director, or a designee thereof, to execute any and all subsequent amendments to the attached participation agreement with CalMHSA, after review and approval by County Counsel, Risk Management and the County Administrative Office, in order to ensure continued participation in the Inter-Member Transfer Program.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
Receiving counties will incur full expenditure for services provided to Humboldt County youth who have been presumptively transferred. On approval, the CalMHSA Inter-Member Transfer Program will reimburse the receiving county’s county cost share of adjudicated Medi-Cal claims for these services. Likewise, services to youth presumptively transferred from out of county may be reimbursed to Humboldt through this program.
Expenditure appropriations related to the attached participation agreement with CalMHSA have been included in approved fiscal year 2021-2022 budget for DHHS - Behavioral Health Administration budget unit 1170-424. Funds for the transfer funds deposit and administrative fee in the amount of Forty-One Thousand One Hundred Sixty-Six Dollars and Twenty-Three Cents ($41,166.23) are available through 2011 Behavioral Health Realignment for Early and Periodic Screening, Diagnosis and Treatment. As a result, approval of the attached participation agreement with CalMHSA will not impact the Humboldt County General Fund.
STRATEGIC FRAMEWORK:
The recommended actions support the Board of Supervisors’ Strategic Framework by protecting vulnerable populations, creating opportunities for improved safety and health and providing community-appropriate levels of services.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
The Board may choose not to approve the attached participation agreement with CalMHSA regarding the County of Humboldt’s involvement in the Inter-Member Transfer Program. However, this alternative is not recommended due to a lack of other options for the County to send and receive reimbursement for SMHS in a timely manner.
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Participation Agreement with California Mental Health Services Authority Regarding the County of Humboldt’s Involvement in the Inter-Member Transfer Program
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: N/A
Meeting of: N/A
File No.: N/A