COUNTY OF SAN MATEO

Inter-Departmental Correspondence

Health System

 

DATE:

May 29, 2009

BOARD MEETING DATE:

June 23, 2009

SPECIAL NOTICE/HEARING:

None

VOTE REQUIRED:

Majority

 

TO:

Honorable Board of Supervisors

   

FROM:

Jean S. Fraser, Chief, Health System

 

Louise Rogers, Director of Behavioral Health and Recovery Services

   

SUBJECT:

Agreement with InnVision – The Way Home, Clara Mateo Division

 

RECOMMENDATION:

Adopt a Resolution:

1) Authorizing the President of the Board to execute an Agreement with InnVision – The Way Home, Clara Mateo Division to provide transitional and emergency housing services for the term July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011, for a maximum obligation of $148,701; and

 

2) Authorizing the Chief of the Health System or designee to execute contract amendments which modify the County's maximum fiscal obligation by no more than $25,000 (in aggregate), and/or modify the contract term and/or services so long as the modified term or services is/are within the current or revised fiscal provisions.

 

VISION ALIGNMENT:

Commitment: Ensure basic health and safety for all.

Goal 8: Help vulnerable people—the aged, disabled, mentally ill, at-risk youth and others—achieve a better quality of life.

 

The Agreement contributes to this commitment and goal by providing transitional and emergency housing for seriously mentally ill individuals at risk of homelessness.

 

Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) provides a range of services in order to promote wellness and recovery and to support consumers at the lowest possible level of care. The provision of shelter bed services is one established level of care. The services provided through this Agreement contribute to this measure.

 
 
 

Performance Measure:

Measure

    FY 2008-09
    Estimate

    FY 2009-10
    Target

Percentage of clients who obtain stable (permanent or transitional) housing upon discharge.

    69%

    70%

 

BACKGROUND:

Since 1996 the Veteran’s Administration Palo Alto Health Care System (“VA”), San Mateo and Santa Clara Counties, and the cities of Menlo Park, San Jose, Palo Alto, and Redwood City have collaborated to provide a regional, multi-jurisdictional, community-based rehabilitation shelter on the Menlo Park campus of the VA called Clara Mateo Alliance. In 2004 Clara Mateo Alliance merged with InnVision, The Way Home to become InnVision – The Way Home, Clara Mateo Division (“Clara Mateo”). With the goal of ending homelessness, the mission of Clara Mateo is to provide shelter and supportive services to people in need and to assist them in obtaining stable housing and achieving self-sufficiency. Since opening in 1997, Clara Mateo has served many homeless individuals and has been successful in helping them find and maintain stable housing. Housing resources for seriously mentally ill individuals on fixed incomes are critically scarce in San Mateo County. The result is that many of these individuals are homeless or at high risk of becoming homeless. Since FY 1999-00 BHRS has contracted with Clara Mateo to provide specialized shelter beds for mentally ill San Mateo County residents. Under the B-1 Administrative Memorandum, the selection of providers of housing services for mental health clients is exempt from the Request for Proposals process requirement.

 

DISCUSSION:

Under this Agreement, Clara Mateo will provide six dedicated emergency shelter beds per night for seriously mentally ill clients who require immediate shelter. Clients will be assisted in securing medical, psychiatric, and social services. Clara Mateo also collaborates with other agencies and resources to assist clients in finding permanent housing and securing other basic needs. Should additional emergency shelter and/or transitional beds be available, the County has the option to purchase additional beds on an as-needed basis. This component of the housing continuum allows a cost efficient alternative to using more costly emergency services (e.g., Psychiatric Emergency Services and inpatient administrative days).

 

The Agreement has been reviewed and approved by County Counsel and Risk Management. The contractor has assured compliance with the County's Contractor Employee Jury Service Ordinance, as well as all other contract provisions that are required by County ordinance and administrative memoranda, including but not limited to insurance, hold harmless, non-discrimination and equal benefits.

 

FISCAL IMPACT:

The term of the Agreement is July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2011. The Agreement maximum is $148,701 for the two-year term. For FY 2009-10 the budgeted maximum is $74,351, which has been included in the BHRS FY 2009-10 Recommended Budget. Of that amount, the BHRS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) grant will fund $8,922, sales tax through realignment will fund $63,198 and Net County Cost is $2,231. Similar arrangements will be in place for next year. The anticipated Net County Cost for the two-year term is $4,462.