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Delegate authority to the County Administrator, with County Counsel concurrence, to execute 16 agreements for a net total of $2,523,481 with licensed residential adult and senior care facilities for the disbursement of California Department of Social Services Community Care Expansion (CCE) Preservation program funds; and Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute subsequent amendments, with County Counsel concurrence, that remain within the available appropriations for CCE preservation grant projects
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Published Notice Required? Yes _____ No __X__
Public Hearing Required? Yes _____ No __X__
DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION:
The Department of Health and Social Services (H&SS) recommends that the Board of Supervisors delegate authority to the County Administrator, with County Counsel concurrence, to execute 16 agreements for a net total of $2,523,481 with licensed residential adult and senior care facilities for the disbursement of California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Community Care Expansion (CCE) Preservation program funds; and Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute subsequent amendments, with County Counsel concurrence, that remain within the available appropriations for CCE preservation grant projects.
SUMMARY:
The CCE Preservation program was established by AB 172 (Chapter 696, Statues of 2021) and was designed to help preserve licensed residential and senior care facilities serving applicants and recipients of Supplemental Security Income / State Supplementary Payment (SSI/SSP) or Cash Assistance Program for Immigrants (CAPI), including those who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness. On April 7, 2023, H&SS received an allocation award letter (Attachment B) from CDSS stating that Solano County would receive a noncompetitive allocation amount of $2,851,239. The allocation included $1,623,977 in capital project funding to allow facilities to make essential capital repairs or necessary upgrades to avoid closure and $1,227,262 in operating subsidy payments to cover potential or projected operating deficits in existing residential adult and senior care facilities so as to avoid closure.
On May 23, 2023, the Board of Supervisors delegated authority to the County Administrator to execute the CCE funding agreement with CDSS and to develop and execute a service contract for the facilitation of the design, program implementation, management of the CCE Preservation program locally in Solano County, including managing the distribution of funds. A service contract was executed with Thurmond Consulting, LLC (Thurmond).
A request for proposals to solicit eligible projects was issued on December 1, 2022 and a total of 19 applications were received. Each application was reviewed for program eligibility and 16 projects were determined eligible. Each of the corresponding 16 agreements will be unique based on the type of physical repairs or necessary upgrades needed to avoid closure and/or the projected operating deficits that are existing within the respective licensed facility; therefore, the Board is asked to delegate authority to the County Administrator, with County Counsel concurrence, to execute the respective agreements. Additionally, this action is anticipated to expedite the CCE Preservation program accomplishments within the grant’s allowable timeframe.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The CDSS awarded a CCE Preservation program noncompetitive grant allocation of $2,851,239 to Solano County. This award has two components which includes $1,623,977 for capital projects to be expended by December 31, 2026, and $1,227,262 for the operation subsidy to be expended by June 30, 2029. The grant requires a 10% match by capital project fund recipients. These match funds will be held in an account managed by Thurmond.
Appropriations are included in the FY2023/24 Working Budget and the Department’s FY2024/25 Requested Budget for this grant project. There are no additional impacts to the County General Fund.
DISCUSSION:
The CCE Preservation program allocation supports licensed residential and senior care facilities within the county to remain operational and provide essential care services to its most vulnerable populations, including those with mental health issues. Specifically, the capital project funding focuses on assisting facilities in making essential physical repairs and necessary upgrades or bringing a facility into license compliance standards to avoid closure. In contrast, the operating subsidy payments aim to cover existing facilities' potential or projected operating deficits. In supporting the preservation and improvement of licensed care facilities, the CCE Preservation program not only aids in the continued availability and sustainability of these licensed care facilities within the county but also enriches the well-being of those residing there.
To facilitate the implementation of the CCE Preservation program, a multi-year agreement commenced with Thurmond, LLC (Thurmond) on December 1, 2022. Both Thurmond and H&SS have been working in tandem to design, manage, and distribute the available grant award amounts of $1,380,380 in capital project and $1,043,173 in CCE Preservation program operating subsidy payment funds within the constraints of the grant and to the approved and eligible applicants through individual agreements with the County. Thurmond manages program funds on behalf of the County and is responsible for providing the County with a full reconciliation of all expenditures made with program funds, documentation of expenditure of match funds, and any County requested documentation to support program expenditures monthly.
In order to bring awareness to as many facility owners as possible, a list of licensed residential adult and senior facilities located within Solano County was acquired from the Department of Social Services, Community Care Licensing Division. Of the 322 licensed residential adult and senior facilities located within Solano County, 309 were identified as meeting the initial CCE Preservation program grant criteria for receipt of funding and received a Letter of Interest from Thurmond and an invitation to apply for funding. Thurmond also hosted webinar sessions to address questions from facility owners and provided information on program requirements. Solano County Behavioral Health also shared information through their Mental Health Plan Provider Network.
The resulting 19 applications, based on the physical facility location of each respective facility, were then guided and/or assisted though the Request for Proposal process, which closed on July 24, 2023. A scoring tool was used to rank the proposals, and for the capital project requests, greater weight was given to items related to safety. Letters of intent (applicants met the grant criteria and contract development could be started) were provided to the 16 applicants.
For each award recipient, revaluation of overall program eligibility and/or individual invoice components submitted against their award will continue during the contracting process and ensuing months. Disbursement of CCE approved grant funds will be managed by Thurmond.
The CCE Preservation capital project funds are to be expended by December 31, 2026, and operating subsidy payments by June 30, 2029. The recommended delegation of signing authority to the County Administrator of the respective award/disbursement agreements (Attachment A) will facilitate the timely utilization of the grant funds by streamlining the agreement process.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board may choose not to delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute individual agreements identified in Attachment A and the amendments that may follow; however, this is not recommended as returning to the Board for approval of each of the 16 agreements will likely delay the grant process.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
None.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION