To: Sonoma County Board of Supervisors
Department or Agency Name(s): Human Services
Staff Name and Phone Number: Nick Honey, 565-4343
Vote Requirement: 4/5th
Supervisorial District(s): Countywide
Title:
Title
Acceptance of Revenues
End
Recommended Action:
Recommended action
A) Adopt a budget resolution to increase appropriations in the Human Services Department’s FY 2020-21 Adopted Budget by $443,508 to be funded by an allocation from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to administer the Family Urgent Response System (FURS) program.
B) Adopt a budget resolution to increase appropriations in the Human Services Department’s FY 2020-21 Adopted Budget by $182,459 to be funded by an allocation from CDSS for the Private Adoption Agency Reimbursement Program.
(4/5th Vote Required)
end
Executive Summary:
The Human Services Department (HSD) Family, Youth & Children’s Services (FY&C) Division received a funding allocation of $443,508 from CDSS. The funds are for the FURS program which will begin implementation on March 1, 2021. FURS is designed to support caregiver families, foster youth, and former foster youth through a 24/7 statewide telephone hotline and a coordinated local in-person response during crisis situations.
HSD will contract with Seneca Family of Agencies to administer these services in Sonoma County for the period of 3/1/2021, through 6/30/2021. The agreement is below the amount needing Board authorization for execution by the Director.
In addition, the HSD FY&C Division received an allocation of $182,459 from CDSS for PAARP to reimburse private adoption agencies for their administrative support throughout the adoption process for children in Sonoma County.
Discussion:
The State issued Fiscal Letter 2021-52 that provided an allocation to counties to implement the FURS program to support foster family caregivers, foster youth, and former foster youth by providing a toll-free state hotline that will coordinate with the local program to provide immediate in-person response to crisis situations. The local program will provide 24/7 trauma-informed in-person response with workers trained in risk assessment, de-escalation and conflict resolution. Foster youth and former foster youth from the child welfare and probation systems are eligible to utilize this resource. The FURS program is intended to have multiple positive effects on the lives of foster youth including preventing placement disruptions, preventing the need for law enforcement involvement, avoiding criminalization of traumatized youth, and preventing youth from being placed into congregate care or psychiatric hospitalization settings. Additional benefits in support of caregivers include preserving the relationship of the caregiver and the foster youth, providing developmentally appropriate relationship conflict management and resolution skills to stabilize the living situation, mitigating the distress of the caregiver and youth, and connecting the caregiver and youth to local supportive services to promote a healthy and healing environment for youth and their caregiver families.
The FY&C division has taken the lead in coordinating with the Sonoma County Probation Department and Behavioral Health in developing the local response. Implementation of a regional approach has been discussed and the departments reached out to both Marin and Napa counties to determine if this was feasible. Napa County declined, but Marin County expressed interest in partnering with Sonoma to take a regional approach to serve current and former foster youth and caregiver families in both counties. If FURS funding continues into the FY21/22, it is expected that an agreement between Marin and Sonoma Counties will be brought to the Board for approval at a later date.
The State will be conducting a statewide evaluation of the program in 2022. Sonoma County will be tracking the outcomes through a Results Based Accountability plan to measure the effectiveness of the program in mitigating conflicts between caretakers and foster youth, developing conflict resolution skills within the family, and connecting families to local community services. Additional child welfare outcomes will be tracked including placement stabilization and caretaker retention.
PAARP Allocation: The FY&C Division coordinates all adoptions of children in Sonoma County. In December 2020, the Division received an allocation from CDSS (per ACL 20-85 dated August 20, 2020, and CFL 20/21-42 dated December 22, 2020) in the amount of $182,459 through the Private Adoption Agency Reimbursement Program. This allocation must be used to reimburse partnering private adoption agencies in Sonoma County for case management and administrative work with individual families that move through the adoptions process. Each agency is paid either $6,600 or $8,000 per adoptive family, depending on the type of agency and work done. The FY&C Division is requesting appropriations in the amount of $182,459.
Prior Board Actions:
N/A
Fiscal Summary
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Expenditures |
FY 20-21 Adopted |
FY21-22 Projected |
FY 22-23 Projected |
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Budgeted Expenses |
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Additional Appropriation Requested |
625,967 |
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Total Expenditures |
625,967 |
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Funding Sources |
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General Fund/WA GF |
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State/Federal |
625,967 |
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Fees/Other |
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Use of Fund Balance |
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Contingencies |
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Total Sources |
625,967 |
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Narrative Explanation of Fiscal Impacts:
FY 2020-2021 will increase appropriations by $625,967 for two separate programs.
FURS Program
HSD will receive a total allocation of $443,508 for the FURS program to be spent between March 1, 2021, and June 30, 2021 (per CFL 20/21-52), and an increase in appropriations for that amount is requested in FY 2020-2021.
PAARP Program
HSD has received a total allocation of $182,459 for the PAARP program for FY 2020-2021, and an increase in appropriations for that amount is requested in FY 2020-2021.
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Staffing Impacts: |
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Position Title (Payroll Classification) |
Monthly Salary Range (A-I Step) |
Additions (Number) |
Deletions (Number) |
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Narrative Explanation of Staffing Impacts (If Required):
N/A
Attachments:
1. Budget Reso: Receiving Revenue from CDSS - FURS
2. Budget Reso: Receiving Revenue from CDSS - Adoptions
3. CFL 2021-52 Family Urgent Response System General Fund Planning Allocation
4. CFL 2021-42 Private Adoption Agency Reimbursement Program Allocation
Related Items “On File” with the Clerk of the Board:
N/A