Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Nicole Pollack, Director, Human Services Agency
Subject: Transition of the Dependent Children’s Receiving Home to the San Mateo County Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing the acceptance and transition of the Dependent Children’s Receiving Home to the San Mateo County Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program, named Elysian.
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BACKGROUND:
On October 11, 2015 Governor Edmund G. Brown Jr. approved legislation that reforms placement and treatment options for youth in foster care. The Continuum of Care Reform, also known as Assembly Bill 403, draws together a series of existing and new reforms to our child welfare services program designed out of an understanding that children who must live apart from their biological parents do best when they are cared for in committed nurturing family homes. AB 403 changes the requirements of, and provides for, the reclassification of treatment facilities and the transition from the use of group homes for children in foster care to the use of short-term residential treatment centers.
San Mateo County Human Services Agency (“HSA") currently operates a 12-bed co-ed emergency shelter through the Children’s Dependent Receiving Home for youth ages 12-17 who have been removed from their home due to abuse and/or neglect. In an effort to comply with Assembly Bill 403, and to meet the needs of the children in our County’s child welfare system who require a residential treatment program, HSA is applying to convert the current emergency shelter into a 12-bed Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program (“STRTP”). The STRTP will be named Elysian.
DISCUSSION:
As a STRTP, Elysian will provide a comprehensive 12-bed intensive 24-hour residential treatment program service for San Mateo County dependent children. This program will be focused on assisting youth to step-down to a resource family home in the most structured and supportive manner possible and will keep children in San Mateo County, preventing placements outside of the community and the County. The STRTP will include trauma-informed, culturally relevant, and multidisciplinary services such as medication evaluation and monitoring, therapeutic support services, substance abuse services, academic support, medical support, individual and family therapy, social skill development, after care services in the resource family home, comprehensive placement assessment, and collaborative case planning through Child and Family Team meetings.
Community Care Licensing requires acceptance and approval from the Board of Supervisors to transition the Children’s Dependent Receiving Home emergency shelter to the San Mateo County Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program-Elysian. Approval of this resolution contributes to the Shared Vision 2025 outcome of Prosperous Community by providing San Mateo County dependent children trauma-informed, culturally relevant, and multidisciplinary services through the STRTP, and keeps San Mateo County children in their communities.
FISCAL IMPACT:
There is no fiscal impact as a result of this action. Funding in the amount of $1,255,853 has been included in the FY 2017-18 Adopted Budget for this transaction.