Title
a. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to execute an Agreement between the Monterey County Health Department (County) and City of Salinas (City), for the term December 01, 2019 through December 31, 2020, for the purpose of leveraging, dollar-for-dollar, City’s State of California Emergency Shelter Grant award with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) funds, accessed through the County Whole Person Care (WPC) Pilot program in the amount of $439,099, to expand City’s capacity to collaborate with community partners to provide direct services and engage unsheltered residents in the City of Salinas in activities to improve their wellness and attain safe and stable housing; and
b. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to sign up to three (3) future amendments to this Agreement where the amendments do not significantly change the Agreement herein.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors:
a. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to execute an Agreement between the Monterey County Health Department (County) and City of Salinas (City), for the term December 01, 2019 through December 31, 2020, for the purpose of leveraging, dollar-for-dollar, City’s State of California Emergency Shelter Grant award with the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) funds, accessed through the County Whole Person Care (WPC) Pilot program in the amount of $439,099, to expand City’s capacity to collaborate with community partners to provide direct services and engage unsheltered residents in the City of Salinas in activities to improve their wellness and attain safe and stable housing; and
b. Approve and authorize the Director of Health or Assistant Director of Health to sign up to three (3) future amendments to this Agreement where the amendments do not significantly change the Agreement herein.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
On January 11, 2019, the City received a $1,027,285 California Emergency Solutions and Housing (CESH) Grant to address the needs of homeless persons residing within its boundaries. As part of this grant award, the City issued a Notice of Funds Availability (NOFA) to homeless services providers, reviewed and ranked NOFA applications, conducted applicant interviews, and made funding recommendations to their Council. NOFA applications exceeded both the entire amount of City CESH award and three sub-categorical CESH funding limits.
Our WPC program is funded through a dollar-for-dollar match between the County and the state. WPC program staff confirmed with the state Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) that CESH funds could be matched to state WPC funds and notified the City of the matching opportunity. To the extent of City’s identified need and WPC allowable programmatic expenditures, the County proposed matching WPC funds up to $219,549.50 of City CESH funds to an equal amount of DHCS funds for a total Agreement amount of $439,099. The DHCS approved the match amount and the proposed activities, in effect increasing the City’s funding availability by 40%. The Health Department will act as a pass-through at no cost to the County.
WPC pilot is a five-year pilot program authorized under California’s Medi-Cal 2020 waiver to test locally-based initiatives that will coordinate physical health, behavioral health, and social services for vulnerable Medi-Cal beneficiaries who are high users of multiple systems and continue to have or are at risk of poor health outcomes. Monterey County is the awardee of WPC funds provided by the State of California, and Monterey County Health Department is the fiscal agent and the lead agency charged with implementing the WPC contract agreement, which is in effect through December 31, 2020.
The City provides numerous programs and facilities that address homelessness including the temporary warming shelter at 111 West Alisal, the soon to be reopened Navigation and Hygiene Center at 115 East Lake Street, and with the County, the new homeless shelter to be built at 855 East Laurel Drive. The City will use the matched funds to pay for costs of programs such as behavioral health outreach at the Steinbeck Library and First United Methodist Church; a housing locator working at Central Coast Center for Independent living; staff of the Navigation and Hygiene Center; and partial staff of the new Chinatown Health Engagement Center to be operated by California State University Monterey Bay’s University Corporation the ground floor of Moon Gate Plaza Apartments at 21 Soledad Street, Salinas.
This work supports the Monterey County Health Department 2011-2015 strategic plan initiative 3. Ensure access to culturally and linguistically appropriate, customer-friendly, quality health services. It also supports five of the ten essential public health services, specifically: 9. Inform, educate, and empower people about health issues, 4. Mobilize community partnerships and action to identify and solve health problems, 5. Develop policies and plans that support individual and community health efforts, 6. Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety, and 7. Link people to needed personal health services and assure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The office of County Counsel and the Auditor-Controller have reviewed and approved this Agreement as to legal form, and fiscal provisions respectively.
FINANCING:
There is no impact to the General Fund resulting from the approval of this action. Appropriations are included in the Health Department’s (HEA014-8438) Adopted Budget and they will be included in the Health Department’s (HEA014-8438) FY 2020-21 Requested Budget.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
☐Economic Development:
• Through collaboration, strengthen economic development to ensure a diversified and healthy economy.
☐Administration:
• Promote an organization that practices efficient and effective resource management and is recognized for responsiveness, strong customer orientation, accountability and transparency.
☒Health & Human Services:
• Improve health and quality of life through County supported policies, programs, and services; promoting access to equitable opportunities for healthy choices and healthy environments in collaboration with communities.
☐Infrastructure:
• Plan and develop a sustainable, physical infrastructure that improves the quality of life for County residents and supports economic development results.
☐Public Safety:
• Create a safe environment for people to achieve their potential, leading businesses and communities to thrive and grow by reducing violent crimes as well as crimes in general.
Prepared by: Patricia Zerounian, Management Analyst III, x4583
Approved by: Elsa Jimenez, Director of Health, x4526
Attachments:
Agreement with City of Salinas is on file with the Clerk of the Board