To: Board of Supervisors
From: Anna Roth, Health Services Director
Report Title: Approval of Program Funding Agreement with Advocates for Human Potential to Renovate 847B Brookside Dr., Richmond
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Health Services Director, or her designee, to execute, subject to final approval by the County Administrator and approval as to form by County Counsel, a project funding agreement with Advocates for Human Potential, in an amount not to exceed $18,602,365, for the renovation of a County-owned facility located at 847B Brookside Drive in Richmond and AUTHORIZE the Public Works Director, or their designee, to execute all property related transactions as required by the grant, including but not limited to filing a Declaration of Restrictions for the portion of the County property to be improved by the granted funds, subject to final approval by the County Administrator and approval as to form by County Counsel. The term of the project funding agreement is upon execution through June 30, 2027.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this project funding agreement will result in a grant not to exceed $18,602,365 in funding provided through Advocates for Human Potential (AHP), which is the administrative agent for the California Department of Health Care Services, under State Prime Contract 21-10368, for the California Behavioral Health Continuum Infrastructure Program (BHCIP). Under the state prime contract, counties must supply a match equal to ten percent (10%) of the non-contingency funding, or $1,570,156. This match may be provided using real property as an in-kind contribution. AHP has already accepted documentation that the County-owned property appraised value exceeds that of the required match. No further match is required.
BACKGROUND:
On July 12, 2022, the Board of Supervisors authorized Contra Costa Health - Behavioral Health (CCH-BH) to apply for grant funding through the Behavioral Health Infrastructure Program (BHCIP) to expand community-based treatment facilities. In order to inform and prioritize the projects to be submitted for consideration under this grant, CCH-BH conducted a qualitative and quantitative needs assessment with community stakeholders which identified crisis and longer-term residential care, in both secure and voluntary settings, as priorities for facility continuum improvement. Three projects were submitted under the Round 5 application period for BHCIP.
On November 15, 2023, the CCH-BH received a Conditional Notice of Award (NoA) of grant funds to renovate and convert a County-owned facility located at 847B Brookside Drive in Richmond to the first, in-County, Mental Health Rehabilitation Center (MHRC) to serve up to 45 clients in need of treatment in a secured setting as they recover from acute psychiatric episodes. Beginning in February 2024, CCH-BH staff have been meeting on a monthly basis with AHP and representatives from DHCS to begin work on project requirements and to gather and finalize information to complete the Statement of Work and the project funding agreement. Additionally, Public Works and Health staff have met weekly to continue planning and to finalize design for the facility. Per the NoA, allowable costs incurred from the time of the Conditional Award may be reimbursed upon full execution of the project funding agreement (PFA).
To receive the grant funds, the County is required to execute the PFA with AHP. Under the PFA, the County:
• Must develop construction plans and specifications approved by AHP and provide proof of a construction contract with a prime contractor.
• Is responsible for any cost overages and must return any excess funds upon construction completion.
• Will need to establish a single-purpose independent development joint bank account with AHP; AHP will only have deposit rights.
• Must maintain an ongoing updated project budget.
• Must enter into a Declaration of Restrictions to be recorded against the property, restricting the use to the purpose being constructed for at least 30 years.
• Must provide a Phase I environmental study.
• Must indemnify both AHP and DHCS.
The PFA terminates June 30, 2027.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
County would not receive funds for the renovation and conversion of a vacant County building to a Mental Health Rehabilitation Center requiring County clients in need of this level of care to continue to be referred to facilities out of Contra Costa County, away from natural community and family supports, for the duration of their need for this service.