TITLE
Recommendation to authorize City Manager to submit a Request for Statement of Qualifications for Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) services to the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH); to sign the Master Agreement if the City is selected as a qualified contractor; to sign and submit bids to provide mental health services to DMH; and to sign all necessary documents related to these services. (Citywide)
DISCUSSION
Proposition 63, the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), adopted by the California electorate on November 2, 2004, created a new revenue source for expanding and transforming the delivery of mental health services within the state. The Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health (DMH) has engaged in a stakeholder process over the past year to provide mental health and human services at the local level. DMH developed the Community Services and Support (CSS) Plan, which was submitted to the state in October 2005 for approval, to guide this process between now and 2008.
The CSS identifies priority populations of children and families, transition age youth (youth turning age 18 and exiting foster care), adults, and older adults with severe and persistent mental illnesses or serious emotional disturbances, and identifies categories for MHSA funding. The City of Long Beach Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) wishes to apply for human service funding categories (as follows):
1) Full service partnerships (FSP) providing both traditional mental health services and supportive services such as employment, substance abuse treatment, recreational and other services, and 24/7 support;
2) Peer support, peer counseling and peer mentoring;
3) Counseling, assessment, and other traditional mental health services;
4) Alternative crisis services, to help people stay out of emergency rooms or other institutions and involuntary settings;
5) Bridging and support services, to help people find support they need in their communities; and/or 6) Outreach and engagement services.
DMH intends to contract with community agencies to provide many of the identified services in the CSS plan. On November 16,2005, DMH released a Requestfor Statement of Qualifications (RFSQ) to qualified contractors to enter into a Master Agreement with the County to provide mental health services at the local level in accordance with the MHSA.
The Master Agreement designates an agency as a qualified contractor but does not guarantee funding. Agencies qualified through this process will be eligible to respond to later Requests for Services (RFSs) issued by DMH to solicit Statement of Work bids for specific services.
The California Department of Mental Health estimates that 6.8 percent of Los Angeles County residents are experiencing serious mental illness or serious emotional disturbance.
For the City of Long Beach, this translates to an estimated 33,400 affected individuals.
Some mental health and social service needs of affected community residents are already being addressed by the DHHS through the Multi-Service Center for the Homeless, Family Preservation Program, Alcohol and Drug Rehabilitation Services, and other programs. It is expected that MHSA funding could assist in addressing unmet needs at these sites.
Should the City of Long Beach qualify as a provider through the RFSQ process, Statement of Work bids for specific services may be submitted later in response to future RFSs released by DMH.
This matter was reviewed by Senior Deputy City Attorney Donna F. Gwin and Budget Management Officer David Wodynski on November 30,2005.
TIMING CONSIDERATIONS
Statements of Qualifications are being accepted by DMH on a continuous basis; however, those received after December 31, 2005 will not be reviewed until after June 30, 2006.
Therefore, City Council action is requested on December 13, 2005.
FISCAL IMPACT
There is no immediate fiscal impact associated with this recommendation. If qualified, the resulting Master Agreement would designate the City as a potential DMH contractor but would not guarantee funding. Grant funding of an unknown amount may be awarded in the future if the City enters into a Master Agreement and submits Statement of Work bids in response to future RFSs for specific services. Applications for funding in response to RFSs will be within the scope of the human services areas noted above (1-7).
SUGGESTED ACTION
Approve recommendation.
Respectfully Submitted,
RONALD R. ARIAS
DIRECTOR HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES