Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Iliana Rodriguez, Interim Director, Human Services Agency
Subject: Agreement with Samaritan House for Diversion Services for Adults Exiting Institutions and Are At Risk of Homelessness
RECOMMENDATION:
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Adopt a resolution authorizing:
A) An agreement with Samaritan House to provide diversion services for adults exiting institutions into homelessness in San Mateo County for the term of December 3, 2019 through June 30, 2021 in an amount not to exceed $385,000; and
B) The Director of the Human Services Agency or designee to execute amendments to said Agreement which modify the County’s maximum fiscal obligation by no more than $100,000 (in aggregate) during the same term for the purpose of expending Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP) funds by June 30, 2021 as mandated by Health and Safety Code Sections 50214 and 50215.
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BACKGROUND:
In close collaboration with many County and community partners, the Human Services Agency (HSA) coordinates homeless services throughout the County of San Mateo. HSA also serves as the lead agency in the County for the Homeless Continuum of Care (CoC) and is the administrative entity for Homeless Emergency Aid Program (HEAP), which is a one-time block grant program funded by the State of California.
HSA was awarded a HEAP grant in the amount of $4,933,138.71 by the State of California’s Business, Consumer Services and Housing Agency (BCSH) to address the emergency needs of homeless individuals and individuals at imminent risk of homelessness by providing services such as rapid re-housing, rental assistance or subsidies, capital improvement to shelter facilities, and services for youth experiencing homelessness.
On June 19, 2019, guided by the priorities of the County's strategic plan on homelessness and with opportunities to fund new or enhanced services with the awarded HEAP funding, HSA released a Request for Proposals (RFP) for homeless services, including diversion services for adults exiting institutions into homelessness. Samaritan House was selected as the service provider that would best meet this need in San Mateo County.
DISCUSSION:
HSA and community partners have implemented diversion services to help families and adults maintain housing and prevent them from becoming homeless. Diversion services help clients with housing problem solving and provide assistance in identifying alternative housing options. For clients who do not have alternative housing options, diversion services connect the clients to shelter and other homeless services.
Under this Agreement, Samaritan House will expand the existing diversion program to offer additional services tailored specifically to adults who will soon be exiting an institution, such as a jail or hospital, and who are at risk of becoming homeless when they leave the institution. Many of these individuals face many challenges such as significant mental health, substance use and physical health issues, as well as long histories of homelessness and other challenges with returning to housing and connecting to services.
These diversion services will provide housing problem solving and will work closely with the institution’s discharge planners or case managers. Before the planned discharge date, Samaritan House staff will meet with clients who have been identified as at risk for exiting into homelessness and will help them create a housing plan with the goal of identifying permanent or temporary housing options. HSA and Samaritan House will work in close collaboration with San Mateo County Health and the San Mateo County Sheriff’s Office in the implementation of this program
The resolution has been reviewed and approved by County Counsel as to form.
This program is projected to meet with at least 90% of clients within 2 business days of referral and is projected to successfully divert 35% of households who would have otherwise exited to homelessness.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY19-20 Target |
FY20-21 Target |
|
Percent of first client meetings which occur within 2 business days of referral |
90% |
90% |
|
Percent of households served who are successfully diverted from shelter/homelessness (do not exit the institution into a shelter or unsheltered homelessness) |
35% |
35% |
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of this Agreement is from December 3, 2019 through June 30, 2021. This Agreement is 100% funded through the HEAP grant from BCSH. Budgetary appropriation for this Agreement is included in the FY 2019-20 Adopted Budget and FY 2020-21 Recommended Budget.