Title
Adopt Resolution to:
a. Receive a report from the Department of Social Services on pandemic programs and associated financial impacts; and
b. Provide direction on continuance of pandemic programs, as detailed in attachments A (Department of Social Services pandemic response activities) and B (contracted services Project Roomkey and Great Plated Delivered Program), including reserving funding from General Fund Contingencies, Cannabis Assignment, and/or the Strategic Reserve; and
c. Authorize the County Administrative Office and Direct the Auditor Controller upon the Authorization by the County Administrative Office to release an amount not to exceed $7,929,441 from Cannabis Assignment (BSA 001-3132), General Fund Contingencies (001-1050- CAO020, 4/5th vote required), and/or Strategic Reserve (BSA 001-3111) funds as necessary through June 30, 2021, to finance pandemic programs in the event alternative Federal or State funding does not materialize prior to the end of the fiscal year, for those specific pandemic programs the Board of Supervisors has directed to continue and reserved Cannabis Assignment funds, contingencies and/or Strategic Reserve funds as outlined in Attachments A and B.
Report
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the Board of Supervisors Consider adopting a Resolution to:
a. Receive a report from the Department of Social Services on pandemic programs and associated financial impacts; and
b. Provide direction on continuance of pandemic programs, as detailed in attachments A (Department of Social Services pandemic response activities) and B (contracted services Project Roomkey and Great Plated Delivered Program), including reserving funding from General Fund Contingencies, Cannabis Assignment, and/or the Strategic Reserve; and
c. Authorize the County Administrative Office and Direct the Auditor Controller upon the Authorization by the County Administrative Office to release an amount not to exceed $7,929,441 from Cannabis Assignment (BSA 001-3132), General Fund Contingencies (001-1050- CAO020, 4/5th vote required), and/or Strategic Reserve (BSA 001-3111) funds as necessary through June 30, 2021, to finance pandemic programs in the event alternative Federal or State funding does not materialize prior to the end of the fiscal year, for those specific pandemic programs the Board of Supervisors has directed to continue and reserved Cannabis Assignment funds, contingencies and/or Strategic Reserve funds as outlined in Attachments A and B.
SUMMARY/DISCUSSION:
On January 12, 2021 the Department of Social Services, along with other impacted departments, presented the Board of Supervisors with funding gaps for the continuation of existing COVID-19 response programs. This report is a follow-up to that presentation along with recommendations on the funding gaps and seek direction for continuation of these local responses to the pandemic.
The Department of Social Services provides front line staff for the alternate Care and shelter sites for the pandemic response in addition to the support staff for the Department of Emergency Services. Funding for Department of Social Services staffing of care and shelter sites was made
available through the CARES plan ($450,000) to partially offset these costs not eligible for reimbursement from ongoing social services programs. The Department will be seeking Federal Emergency Management Act (FEMA) reimbursement for activities that will range between 75% to 100% reimbursement for allowable activities and is unknown when revenue will be received. The Department is requesting $1,555,079 to cover the redirected salaries/benefits that are not allowable to be reimbursable under the traditional Social Services programs.
Project Roomkey has been operating since June 2020, serving 300+ people and provides non-congregate sheltering in hotels for the most vulnerable populations-medically fragile. The current operational agreement with Coalition of Homeless Services Providers has a term through February 19, 2021 and the recent amendment is funded by a state Disaster Response Emergency Operation grant in the amount of $456,994 which will be exhausted by Mid-February. The Department is seeking direction and funding on the continuation of this program through June 30, 2021 in the amount of $1,785,342. FEMA has indicated that they will support this type of program for eligible expenses a 100% from January through September 2021 or the end of the declared disaster. A copy of the FEMA notice is attached.
The Great Plates Delivered Program has been in operation since June/July 2020 providing 3 meals per day using local restaurants, providing 3 meals per day. The program currently has received FEMA approval to operate through February 7th and provides home delivered meals for isolated low-income seniors living alone or in a household consisting of only eligible seniors, and not receiving other sources of nutrition assistance (CalFresh or Meals on Wheels).
The CARES Senior Meal Program expanded eligibility requirements to allow seniors that were not eligible for the Greats Plates, to receive the same 3 meals per day as the Great Plates Delivered Program, serving 85+ seniors. This population does qualify for the Meals on Wheels programs. This program has been operating since October 2020, but as the CARES funding expired, the program ended on December 30, 2020. The Department is seeking direction and funding of $707,920 to restart the program from February thru June 30, 2020.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT: Due to late submission of this Board Report, the CAO Budget and Analysis Division was not provided adequate time to fully review for potential fiscal, organizational, policy, or other implications to the County of Monterey.
FINANCING:
Attachment A outlines the revenue shortfall of $1,555,079 for the Department of Social Services COVID-19 pandemic response expenses that were redirected from Social Services Programs but are not eligible for reimbursement from those programs causing an anticipated revenue shortfall in the current fiscal year. There are sufficient appropriations in Social Services SOC005 FY 2020-21 Adopted Budget. While these expenditures are not allowable activities for reimbursement under traditional social services, it is expected they are eligible for reimbursement up to 75% by the Federal Emergency Management Act (FEMA) but this is not guaranteed, nor is it anticipated that this revenue will arrive before the close of the current fiscal year.
Attachment B outlines revenue shortfalls for two COVID-19 programs that will be discontinued without additional funding: Project Roomkey and the Great Plates Delivered Program and the funding needed to restart the CARES Senior Meal Program:
• Continuation of Project Roomkey through June 30, 2021 will require County discretionary funds in the amount of $1,785,342 as a bridge pending FEMA reimbursement. FEMA has determined that these costs will be 100% reimbursable from January 1, 2020 through the period of the disaster declaration, however it is not anticipated that this revenue will arrive before the close of the current fiscal year and the full scale of FEMA reimbursement is still unknown. An option to end the program on March 31, 2021 will reduce the required bridge funding to $960,156, of which $500,000 is for contingencies which will return to the County if not used.
• Continuation of the Great Plates Delivered Program through June 30, 2021 will require bridge funding of $3,881,100. While FEMA is expected to provide 75% reimbursement of costs, with another 18.75% reimbursement available through the State, it is not anticipated that this revenue will arrive before the close of the current fiscal year. There is a 6.25% County share of cost ($242,569). An option to end the program on February 28, 2021 will require $1,106,273 in bridge funding that has a County share of cost of $69,142.
• Restarting the CARES Senior Meal Program that ended on December 30, 2020 when the CARES funding expired will require $707,920 of County discretionary funding from February through June 30, 2021. This program is not eligible for FEMA reimbursement and would require county discretionary funding source. An option to tie this program to the Great Plates Delivered program would provide savings if the Great Plates Program ended before June 30, 2021.
If these programs receive support to continue, the Department will work closely with the County Administrative Budget Office to communicate status of expenses/revenues for the above programs.
BOARD OF SUPERVISORS STRATEGIC INITIATIVES:
This action correlates to the Administration and Health & Human Services Strategic Initiative adopted by the Board of Supervisors by allowing the Department to continue to providing emergency care and shelter to address the pandemic.
Mark a check to the related Board of Supervisors Strategic Initiatives
Economic Development
X Administration
X Health & Human Services
Infrastructure
Public Safety
Prepared by: Becky Cromer, Interim Finance Director, x4433
Approved by: Lori A. Medina, Director, x4430
Attachments:
Attachment A - Revenue Shortfall for staffing Pandemic disaster
Attachment B - Revenue Shortfall for Pandemic Programs
Fema Letter
Resolution