To: Board of Supervisors
From: Dr. Grant Colfax, Health Services Director
Report Title: Participation Agreement #74-647-2 with California Mental Health Services Authority
☒Recommendation of the County Administrator ☐ Recommendation of Board Committee
RECOMMENDATIONS:
APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Health Services Director, or designee, to execute, on behalf of the County Participation Agreement #74-647-2 with California Mental Health Services Authority (CalMHSA), a government agency, to pay CalMHSA an amount not to exceed $326,561 to provide fiscal intermediary services to fund an education Loan Repayment Program (LRP) to recruit and retain hard-to-fill positions in the public behavioral health system, effective upon execution through June 30, 2026.
FISCAL IMPACT:
Approval of this Contract will result in annual service expenditures of up to $326,561 funded 100% by Mental Health Services Act (MHSA).
BACKGROUND:
The purpose of this Participation Agreement is to grant CalMHSA the authority to act as the Fiscal and Administrative agent on behalf of Participants (counties) as part of the Greater Bay Area Regional Partnership. To access the matching funds provided by the State, counties must participate as a regional county partnership with the agreement of providing about 30% matching funds, while the State provided 70% of the funds which County has fulfilled. Contra Costa Behavioral Health Services, as part of the Greater Bay Area Regional Partnership had communicated its intent to the State in participating in this program prior to the onset of the pandemic along with other Bay Area counties as a manner to amplify educational loan repayment to address workforce needs.
On July 12, 2024, the Board of Supervisors approved Participation Agreement #74-647 with CalMHSA, in an amount not to exceed $339,260, to provide fiscal intermediary services to fund an education LRP to recruit and retain hard-to-fill positions in the public behavioral health system, for the period July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025.
On October 22, 2024, the Board of Supervisors approved Participation Amendment #74-647-1 with CALMHSA, to increase the payment limit by $158,026 to a new payment limit of $497,286 for additional fiscal intermediary services with no change in the term.
Approval of Participation Agreement #74-647-2 will allow the Contractor to continue providing fiscal intermediary services to fund an education LRP with State matching funds to recruit and retain hard-to-fill positions in the public behavioral health system through June 30, 2026. This Agreement includes a mutual indemnification provision requiring both parties to hold harmless, defend and indemnify the other party, from any claims arising out of the performance under the Agreement. This Agreement is late due to prolonged negotiations between the Contractor and Division.
CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:
If this Agreement is not approved, Contra Costa County will not have access to the matching funds provided by the State to fund the LRP program.