To: Board of Supervisors
From: DHHS: Mental Health
SUBJECT:
title
Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC) Grant for Children’s Mental Health Triage Personnel and Budget Reduction
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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 $512,712.74 over three (3) 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 expand the capacity of the Mobile Response Team; adopt the attached budget reduction in the amount of ($77,105.00) for fiscal year 2018-19, DHHS-MH Administration budget unit 1170- 424; and 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.
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SOURCE OF FUNDING:
Mental Health Fund
DISCUSSION:
DHHS-MH applied for and has been selected to receive a grant from MHSOAC for Children’s Mental Health Triage Personnel. This award will enable DHHS Children’s Mental Health to expand the capacity of the Mobile Response Team to meet the needs of individuals aged 21 and under, experiencing or at risk of experiencing a mental health crisis countywide.
The expansion of the Mobile Response Team will create depth to the program allowing more staff to deploy to various locations and resolve crisis, in the field; reducing the necessity of involuntary holds. The expansion of the program will also provide additional options for less restrictive care through early intervention, case management, clinical care, and peer support.
Staff will work with family members/natural supports, school staff, and law enforcement to provide training and education that includes but is not limited to: crisis identification and techniques to alleviate crisis. The grant requires formal collaborative partnerships and Memorandums of Understanding will need to be executed and submitted to the grantor, formally solidifying the collaboration. The collaborative partners include the following entities: Humboldt County Office of Education, Humboldt County Sheriff’s Office, Eureka Police Department, Arcata Police Department, Humboldt County Child Welfare Services and Saint Joseph’s Health.
The collaboration commits our partners to identify and train staff to serve as Mobile Mental Health Crisis Intervention liaisons. The liaisons will provide linkage to the Mobile Response Team who will, in turn provide recovery-focused crisis interventions that divert individuals from unnecessary hospitalizations or incarcerations.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The MHSOAC awarded a total of $512,712.47 in funds to Humboldt County DHHS-Mental Health for Children’s Response Team Triage Personnel. The grant award will sustain the program for 36 months. The Children’s Triage grant will fund salary and benefit cost for 3.0 full-time equivalents (FTEs): 0.50 FTE Supervising Mental Health Clinician, 1.5FTE Mental Health Clinician and 1.0 FTE Mental Health Case Manager.
Fiscal Year (FY) 2018-19 expenditures and revenues related to this grant award have been approved for DHHS-Mental Health Administration budget unit 1170-424 in previous Board agenda item C-15, dated June 19, 2018. The grant award was reduced from $233,250.00 for FY 2018-19 to $156,145.00 due to Governor’s budget actions. To accommodate this reduction in grant funding, a budget adjustment is requested to reduce budgeted totals by ($77,105.00) for FY 2018-19 DHHS-Mental Health Administration budget unit 1170-424, including salary and benefit cost reductions.
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:
Arcata Police Department
Eureka Police Department
Humboldt County Sherriff Department
St. Joseph Health of Humboldt County
Humboldt County Child Welfare Services
Humboldt County Office of Education
Humboldt County Human Resources
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 to expand the capacity of the Mobile Response Team and execution of the state standard agreement
3. State Standard Agreement number 17MHSOAC060
PREVIOUS ACTION/REFERRAL:
Board Order No.: C-15
Meeting of: June 19, 2018