Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Colleen Chawla, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Jei Africa, Director, Behavioral Health, and Recovery Services
Subject: Authorizing the Chief of San Mateo County Health or Designee to Execute Agreements with Three Local Community-Based Organizations to Continue Innovation Programs
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing the Chief of San Mateo County Health or designee(s) to execute agreements and amendments with three local community-based organizations to continue Innovation programs, for terms specified in Attachment A, where two programs are for the term of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027, and one for the term of July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, for a combined aggregate amount not to exceed $1,450,682.
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BACKGROUND:
On July 17, 2023, this Board approved executing agreements for the provision of the following Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Innovation (INN) project services:
1) Adult Residential In-home Support Element (ARISE): The ARISE program created a model for residential in-home services to support clients with a serious mental illness (SMI) and/or substance use disorder (SUD) who are at risk of losing their housing. Residential in-home support workers-approved in-home support services providers-were provided with specialized training for working with SMI and/or SUD clients in collaboration with peer support staff and occupational therapists.
2) Mobile Behavioral Health Services for Farmworkers: The program provided direct mobile behavioral health services and wraparound resources in Spanish to farmworkers and their families. It integrated cultural arts practices as a pathway for engaging farmworkers and their families with formal clinical behavioral health services spanning prevention, early intervention, treatment, and recovery.
3) Music Therapy for Asians/Asian Americans: This project provided music therapy as a culturally responsive approach for Asians/Asian Americans to reduce stigma, increase behavioral health literacy, and promote linkages to behavioral health services and build protective factors to prevent behavioral health challenges and crises.
DISCUSSION:
On July 1, 2026, the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) will replace MHSA.
The innovation phase of these projects ends June 30, 2026. Each project has demonstrated value in improving access, engagement, and/or culturally responsive care for priority populations. Based on outcomes and alignment with BHSA goals, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) is recommending renewal of these services to continue serving the community and to further integrate successful elements into the County’s ongoing behavioral health system of care.
1) Mental Health Association of San Mateo County (MHASMC) was selected to implement the ARISE program. MHASMC has a long and extensive history of providing quality services to BHRS in the same project area of work and has been instrumental in identifying new or emerging needs in the community and in developing programs that meet these needs. MHASMC annually serves more than 800 unduplicated individuals across all programs, and as a result, staff are extremely knowledgeable and have extensive experience working with BHRS’ most complex programs and clients. The MHASMC ARISE agreement will be renewed for a two-year period through June 30, 2028.
2) Ayudando Latinos a Soñar (ALAS) was selected to provide the Mobile Behavioral Health Services for Farmworkers program. ALAS has a strong existing partnership with farm owners and the Latinx community. ALAS has an established history with the project target population, serving this vulnerable community in a culturally responsive manner, addressing social determinants and direct care needs. In 2022, ALAS launched three new initiatives that include mobile health and wellness, in partnership with Life Science Care, to provide social services and education to our hardest-to-reach farmworker families. The ALAS Mobile Behavioral Health for Farmworkers agreement will be renewed for a one-year period through June 30, 2027.
3) North East Medical Services (NEMS) was selected to provide the Music Therapy program. NEMS is one of the largest Federally Qualified Health Centers targeting the medically underserved, low-income, and uninsured/underinsured Asian population in the San Francisco Bay Area and is very well established and known to the Chinese community. NEMS has the specialty in providing care for Asians/Asian Americans that can make a positive impact on the 235,000 residents (31.8%) in San Mateo County who identify as Asian. The NEMS Music Therapy agreement will be renewed for a one-year period through June 30, 2027.
The resolution contains the County’s standard provision allowing amendment of the County’s fiscal obligations by a maximum of $25,000 (in aggregate).
The agreements and resolution have been reviewed and approved by the County Attorney as to form.
It is anticipated that 90% of unduplicated clients will receive early intervention services.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2025-26 Estimated |
FY 2026-27 Projected |
|
Percentage of unduplicated clients that receive early intervention services |
90% 168 of 187 unduplicated clients* |
90% 180 of 200 unduplicated clients |
COMMUNITY IMPACT:
These agreements will continue to positively impact communities that behavioral health services have historically underserved. These programs will increase access to behavioral health services for Asians and Asian Americans and farmworkers in San Mateo County and will support older adults living with behavioral health challenges in maintaining their housing.
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the MHASMC agreement is July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2028, and the term of the ALAS and NEMS agreements is July 1, 2026 through June 30, 2027. The total amount of the agreements is not to exceed $1,450,682 in aggregate, of which $1,090,682 is included in the BHRS FY 2026-27 Recommended Budget. Of that amount, 100% will be funded by the MHSA INN component, with no associated Net County Cost. Similar arrangements will be in place for subsequent years.