Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Louise F. Rogers, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Scott Gilman, Director, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services
Subject: Agreement with Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission for Mental Health Student Services Act Services
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing the Chief of San Mateo County Health or designee to execute an agreement with Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission for Mental Health Student Services Act services for the term of October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2024, in an amount not to exceed $5,999,999.
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BACKGROUND:
Senate Bill 75 includes the Mental Health Student Services Act (MHSSA), which establishes mental health partnerships between county mental health or behavioral health departments and educational entities.
The MHSSA grant is intended to foster stronger school-community mental health partnerships between counties and local educational agencies. Through these partnerships, programs shall be created that include targeted interventions for pupils with identified social-emotional, behavioral, and academic needs.
On July 23, 2020, Behavioral Health and Recovery Services (BHRS) was awarded one of two MHSSA grants earmarked for large counties to establish one of the described partnerships. The four year, $1.4M per year grant is aimed at improving access to mental health services for students and their families.
DISCUSSION:
Through the awarded MHSSA grant, Success for Youth and Schools through Trauma-Informed & Equitable Modules (SYSTEM Support) partnership was formed. SYSTEM Support is a new partnership between San Mateo County Health, BHRS and the San Mateo County Office of Education in collaboration with 12 participating school districts. The participating school districts include: (1) Bayshore Elementary; (2) Cabrillo Unified; (3) Jefferson Elementary; (4) Jefferson Union High School; (5) Pacifica; (6) Ravenswood City; (7) Burlingame Elementary; (8) Hillsborough City; (9) San Bruno Park; (10) San Carlos; (11) San Mateo-Foster City; and (12) Sequoia Union High.
The SYSTEM Support partnership envisions safe, inclusive, equitable, and prepared school communities where all students and their families receive prevention and early intervention services needed to foster resiliency, address trauma, optimize wellbeing, engage in learning, and develop into healthy, resilient adults.
The mission of SYSTEM Support is to provide equitable access to culturally responsive and evidence-based training, support, treatment, and recovery services for and within school communities so that students, staff, and families can recognize and respond to mental, social-emotional, and substance use challenges.
SYSTEM Support will enable students, staff, and families to recognize and respond to mental, social-emotional and substance use challenges, using tools they acquire through the SYSTEM Support program. The SYSTEM Support program will provide the following:
A. For all 12 school districts:
1. Evidence-based practice Social Emotional Learning (SEL) and coaching;
2. Staff coaching and support in the Community Resiliency Model; and
3. Data collection tools/supports for evaluation.
B. Specialized school-site behavioral health services in 3 selected districts and 1 continuation school (Bayshore Elementary, Jefferson Elementary, Jefferson Union High, and Pilarcitos continuation), which have fewer resources and face significant barriers promoting youth success; including:
1. Universal Screening for SEL/Behavior Issues;
2. Wellness Counselors on site to decrease the student to counselor ratio; and
3. Care Coordination to support linkages to BHRS and other community-based and core services that students and families may need.
BHRS requests the Board to authorize the Chief of San Mateo County Health to execute this agreement and any additional amendments thereto and on behalf of the County.
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 agreement and resolution have been reviewed and approved by County Counsel as to form.
As of FY 2018-19, San Mateo County’s children and youth penetration rate (percentage of Specialty Mental Health Service (SMHS) eligible beneficiaries that received one SMHS claimed through Short-Doyle/Medi-Cal) was 3.2%, equivalent to 1,909 children and youth. It is anticipated that penetration rates shall increase to 3.5%.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2020-21 Estimated |
FY 2021-22 Projected |
|
Percentage of children and youth who receive at least one Specialty Mental Health Service. |
3.2% 1,909 children/youth |
3.5% 2,088 children/youth |
*New service- data will be available in FY 2021-22
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the agreement is October 1, 2020 through September 30, 2024. The maximum amount is $5,999,999 for the four-year term. Of that amount, $1,417,255 will be included in the BHRS 2020-21 Recommended Budget and is funded by the Mental Health Services Act. There is no Net County Cost.