Special Notice / Hearing: None__
Vote Required: Majority
To: Honorable Board of Supervisors
From: Louise F. Rogers, Chief, San Mateo County Health
Cassius Lockett, Director, Public Health, Policy and Planning
Subject: Amendment to the Agreement with WeHOPE for the Provision of Mobile Hygiene Units for the Homeless and Unsheltered in Redwood City and Menlo Park for the Whole Person Care Pilot
RECOMMENDATION:
title
Adopt a resolution authorizing the fourth amendment to the agreement with WeHOPE for the provision of mobile hygiene services for the homeless and unsheltered to extend the term through December 31, 2021 for continued services in Redwood City and Menlo Park and increasing the County’s total fiscal obligation by $224,817.28 to an amount not to exceed $395,794.55.
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BACKGROUND:
County Health’s Whole Person Care Pilot (Pilot) is part of the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) Medi-Cal 2020, 1115 Waiver. San Mateo County is 1 of 25 entities participating in the pilot, receiving $16.5 million annually to support efforts to coordinate health, behavioral health and social services for vulnerable and high utilizing clients. The County has focused its efforts on persons who are high utilizers of emergency services and are part of one of three target populations including: those with mental health challenges, substance use disorders, and those who experience homelessness. Many clients served meet two or more of these criteria and have multiple existing chronic health conditions that are poorly managed. The Pilot funds specific programs within County Health, Health Plan of San Mateo and the Human Services Agency (HSA) to directly serve these individuals. Additionally, the Pilot focuses efforts to employ systemic structural innovations that support the integration of services across County Health to seamlessly and strategically serve these populations. Initially scheduled to end in December 2020, the Pilot has now been extended through December 2021. This amendment is being processed retroactively because County Health did not receive confirmation of funding for the Pilot extension until December 31, 2020.
DISCUSSION:
Beginning in March 2020 with the COVID-19 shelter-in-place, non-essential community facilities such as libraries and community centers have been closed to the public. These facilities served as restroom and handwashing resources for people experiencing homelessness. With the absence of these facilities, there was an urgent need for outdoor restrooms and handwashing stations to serve the homeless population in the County.
In March 2020, the City of East Palo Alto (EPA) asked the County to fill a funding gap for mobile restroom and handwashing stations (mobile hygiene services) to serve the homeless and unsheltered. EPA selected a service provider, the community-based organization WeHOPE, and identified sites for stationing the units. This request was approved by the DHCS and supported by the Pilot through a departmental agreement in the amount of $ 28,262 for the period April 15, 2020 to May 15, 2020. On May 15, 2020, the term of the agreement was extended through July 15, 2020 and the not to exceed amount increased to $59,600.
During this time period, WeHOPE asked the County to provide mobile hygiene services in the additional location of Redwood City. In order to meet this need and provide these services, the County extended the term of its agreement with WeHOPE through September 18, 2020 and increased the not to exceed amount to $96,960. In September 2020, in order to continue the existing mobile hygiene services, as well as extend services to the Menlo Park encampment, the amount for this agreement was increased by $96,960 to $170,977 and the contract extended through December 31, 2020.
On December 29, 2020, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid services (CMS) approved the DHCS proposal for an extension of the 1115 Waiver through December 2021. San Mateo County Health was allocated and submitted a budget for additional $16,536,771 in new revenue for the period January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021. In order to avoid a gap in services and ensure continuity of the mobile hygiene services for the period of the public health emergency, County Health seeks to extend our agreement with WeHOPE through December 31, 2021, increasing the amount by $224,817 to an amount not to exceed $395,795. County Health is also requesting that the competitive bidding process be waived to ensure continuity of service during the COVID-19 pandemic.
The agreement and resolution have been reviewed and approved by County Counsel as to form.
The resolution contains the County’s standard provisions allowing amendment of the County fiscal obligations by a maximum of $25,000 (in aggregate)
It is anticipated that 80% of homeless clients served will be connected to services.
PERFORMANCE MEASURE:
|
Measure |
FY 2019-20 Actual |
FY 2020-21 Projected |
|
Percentage of homeless WPC clients who will be connected to services |
N/A |
80% |
FISCAL IMPACT:
The term of the amended agreement is April 16, 2020 through December 31, 2021 in an amount not to exceed $395,794.55. This amendment increases the County’s fiscal obligation by $224,817.28. Funds in the amount $112,408.50 are included in the PHPP FY 2020-21 Adopted Budget. It is anticipated that this agreement will be 100% funded by the Pilot; there is no Net County Cost associated with this agreement.