To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Katie Greaves 565-8501, John Paul 565-5592
Vote Requirement: Majority
Supervisorial District(s): All
Title:
Title
General Assistance Residential Rehabilitation Memorandum of Understanding with Buckelew Programs Athena House
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
Authorize the Director of the Human Services Department to execute a Memorandum of Understanding with Buckelew Programs Athena House from January 10, 2024 through June 30, 2027, and to execute future amendments that do not significantly change the scope of work.
end
Executive Summary:
Buckelew Programs operates Athena House which is a non-profit facility licensed to provide recovery and vocational services to individuals experiencing alcohol and drug addiction. The facility addresses medical and mental health issues. Approval of an agreement between the Human Services Department (HSD) and Buckelew Programs will allow the Human Services Department to provide room, board and care payments directly to Buckelew for General Assistance recipients residing at Athena House. As an administrative agreement, there is no additional costs associated with this Memorandum of Understanding.
Discussion:
The General Assistance (GA) program provides assistance with housing/rent for eligible program participants. Generally, the rent portion of the GA issued for any client is paid directly to the landlord. In facility cases, the drug and alcohol facility is the landlord and receives the GA benefit directly on behalf of the client. These agreements streamline the administrative process by allowing HSD to have one agreement per facility instead of multiple, individual rental agreements on behalf of each GA client residing at the facility.
General Assistance program recipients are able to receive up to 180 days of GA facility benefits in a lifetime. Any licensed and eligible facility can apply to become a general assistance facility (GAF) and will be approved by HSD if they meet certification requirements. Currently, there is one existing GA facility in Sonoma County, Women’s Recovery Services (WRS). County HSD is responsible for all certification determinations and conducts annual on-site monitoring.
Buckelew Programs has applied and is determined to be eligible to have Athena House become a GAF.
This agreement reflects the scope of services and program capacity of the contractor, and the requirements for participating in direct vendor payments of GA benefits from HSD. Expenditures paid to the contractor are based on the number of program participants and their length of stay, which can average from a few days, up to 180 days. Buckelew Programs provide housing, meals, supervision and counseling and is limited under the terms of this agreement to 14 female adult residents at a given time who are GA participants.
Contracted facilities receive direct GA payments of $451 per month for room, board, and care for each eligible participant in the residence and administration reporting facility costs
Strategic Plan:
N/A
Racial Equity:
Was this item identified as an opportunity to apply the Racial Equity Toolkit?
No
Prior Board Actions:
03-21-1995: Authorized the Director of HSD to enter into agreement with residential rehabilitation programs who provide services for and care of health and welfare clients. Resolution 95-0328. *Due to the age of this older agreement and the GA program administration change from HSD Economic Assistance Division to the HSD Employment & Training Division in 2022, HSD is submitting this new authorization to update GA program information.
Fiscal Summary
|
Expenditures |
FY 23-24 Adopted |
FY 24-25 Projected |
FY 25-26 Projected |
|
Budgeted Expenses |
$545,000 |
$545,000 |
$545,000 |
|
Additional Appropriation Requested |
|
|
|
|
Total Expenditures |
$545,000 |
$545,000 |
$545,000 |
|
Funding Sources |
|
|
|
|
General Fund/WA GF |
$500,000 |
$500,000 |
$500,000 |
|
State/Federal |
$15,000 |
$15,000 |
$15,000 |
|
Fees/Other |
$30,000 |
$30,000 |
$30,000 |
|
Use of Fund Balance |
|
|
|
|
Contingencies |
|
|
|
|
Total Sources |
$545,000 |
$545,000 |
$545,000 |
Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
HSD is not requesting to increase appropriations. No additional General Fund contribution is needed. GA for room, board and care expenditures is a fee entitlement benefit based on individual GA eligibility determinations.
|
Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
Buckelew Programs Memorandum of Understanding
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
None