To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Mental Health
SUBJECT:
title
Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission Grant for Children’s Mental Health Triage Personnel and Budget Reduction, to Provide School-Based Mental Health Services to Children
end
RECOMMENDATION(S):
Recommendation
That the Board of Supervisors Adopt the attached resolution authorizing the Department of Health and Human Services - Mental Health (DHHS-MH) Director, or a designee thereof, to accept a grant in the amount of $5,293,367.35 over four (4) years, and execute the state standard agreement and all documents necessary to secure grant funding from the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission to deliver school-based mental health crisis services; adopt the attached budget reduction in the amount of ($551,656.00) for fiscal year (FY) 2018-19, DHHS Mental Health budget unit (BU) 1170-424; direct the Clerk of the Board to return one (1) certified copy of the resolution to the Department of Health and Human Services - Contract Unit for further processing.
Body
SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Mental Health Fund
DISCUSSION:
DHHS-MH applied for and was selected to receive a grant from Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) for school-based mental health triage personnel. The grant funding supports the hiring of mental health personnel to provide triage services to children on school campuses who are experiencing or are at risk of experiencing a mental health crisis. Seven (7) of the grant supported personnel will be county staff; the remaining ten (10) grant supported personnel will be employed by school districts.
Aside from the one (1) 0.50 full-time equivalent (FTE) county Supervising Mental Health Clinician and six (6) 1.0 FTE county Mental Health Clinicians I/II; school districts will hire one (1) Supervising Mental Health Coordinator, five (5) Student Service Coordinators and four (4) Family and Child Support Coaches for children enrolled in kindergarten through twelfth grade (K-12).
Clinicians will be assigned to various regions of Humboldt County, and will primarily provide direct services to students requiring mental health interventions. Clinicians will team with Student Service Coordinators and Family and Child Support Coaches, as well as other county and school staff to provide comprehensive and coordinated services. Interventions provided will include assessment, individual/family/group counseling, treatment planning, crisis intervention, safety planning, and psychoeducation/consultation.
Student Service Coordinators will support school administrators and staff; provide students, parents, and staff with information and referrals to support students' success, and provide information regarding students' goals and progress. They will assist students with academic, attendance, and/or behavioral issues including implementing student disciplinary services and assisting parents and students in locating services (e.g. counseling, resource and intervention referrals) to increase student success.
Family and Child Support Coaches will provide peer-to-peer support and assistance to children and families who are dealing with their own or their child’s mental health challenges. The Family and Child Support Coaches will bring real life experience to their jobs. The four coaches will serve the four most populated regions and work with the regional Clinician, Student Service Coordinators, and other DHHS, Humboldt County Office of Education (HCOE), and partner staff.
The grant requires formal collaborative partnerships and agreements will need to be executed and submitted to the grantor, formally solidifying the collaboration. The collaborative partners include the 32 independent school districts in Humboldt County.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The MHSOAC awarded a total of $5,293,367.35 in funds to the Humboldt County DHHS-MH for school-based mental health triage personnel. The grant award will sustain this program for 48 months. The grant will fund salary and benefit cost for 6.50 FTEs: 0.50 FTE Supervising Mental Health Clinician and 6.0 FTE Mental Health Clinicians. Additionally, this grant award will fund consultation services provided by HCOE personnel.
Expenditures and revenues related to this grant award were approved for DHHS-Mental Health Administration budget unit 1170-424 in previous Board agenda item C-13, dated June 19, 2018. The grant award was reduced from $1,875,000.00 for FY 2018-19 to $1,323,344 due to the Governor’s budget actions. To accommodate this grant funding reduction, a budget reduction of $551,656.00 requested for FY 2018-19 DHHS-Mental Health Administration budget unit 1170-424 includes contracted personnel reductions and salary savings from delayed start date of grant implementation.
DHHS plans to sustain the program by means of effective use of Medicare/Medicaid billing and health care reform opportunities such as expanded benefit enrollment strategies, cross-agency financing strategies and opportunities for redirection and maximizing federal match in Medicaid.
This request supports the Board’s Strategic Framework by providing community-appropriate levels of service and creating opportunities for improved safety and health.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Humboldt County Office of Education, Arcata School District, Big Lagoon Union Elementary School District, Blue Lake Union Elementary School District, Bridgeville Elementary School District, Cuddeback Elementary School District, Cutten Elementary School District, Eureka City Unified School District, Ferndale Unified School District, Fieldbrook Elementary School District, Fortuna Elementary School District, Freshwater Elementary School District, Garfield Elementary School District, Hydesville Elementary School District, Jacoby Creek School District, Klamath-Trinity Joint Unified School District, Kneeland Elementary School District, Loleta Union Elementary School District, Maple Creek Elementary School District, Mattole Unified School District, McKinleyville Union School District, Northern Humboldt High School District, Orick Elementary School District, Pacific Union School District, Peninsula Union School District, Rio Dell School District, Scotia Union School District, South Bay Union School District, Southern Humboldt Unified School District, and Trinidad Union School District K-8.
ALTERNATIVES TO STAFF RECOMMENDATIONS:
Board discretion
ATTACHMENTS:
1. Budget Adjustment
2. Resolution No. [__]: Resolution of the Humboldt County Board of Supervisors Authorizing Acceptance of Mental Health Triage Personnel Grant Funding from the California Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission for school-based mental health services and execution of the state standard agreement
3. State Standard Agreement number 17MHSOAC070
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: C-13
Meeting of: June 19, 2018