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Approve a contract with Solano County Office of Education for $439,875 to develop and implement a plan for sustainable delivery of mental health services in school settings for the period of July 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027; and Delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute the contract and any subsequent amendments, with County Counsel concurrence, up to an aggregate of $74,999
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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 recommends that the Board of Supervisors approve a contract with Solano County Office of Education for $439,875 to develop and implement a plan for sustainable delivery of mental health services in school settings for the period of July 1, 2025 through September 30, 2027; and delegate authority to the County Administrator to execute the contract and any subsequent amendments, with County Counsel concurrence, up to an aggregate of $74,999.
SUMMARY:
In 2024, Solano County Behavioral Health submitted a joint grant application with Solano County Office of Education (SCOE) and was awarded a three-year Mental Health Student Services Act (MHSSA) Round 4 grant for $450,000. The MHSSA Round 4 grant objectives include the retention of a coordinator position whose work will be to facilitate financial sustainably for MHSSA services and continuous quality improvement processes to find long-term sustainability of school-county partnerships. On December 10, 2024, the Board approved the grant agreement.
Approval of this contract allows SCOE as the lead agency to implement the MHSSA grant objectives, which includes retaining a quality improvement and sustainability coordinator position to establish partnerships, collect and report data, and develop a strategy and implementation plan to sustain the delivery of mental health services to students on campuses after the Mental Health Student Services Act (MHSSA) grant is no longer available.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
The contract is funded with Mental Health Student Services Act (MHSSA) Round 4 grant funding included in the Department’s FY2025/26 Working Budget. There is no additional impact to the County General Fund.
DISCUSSION:
The Mental Health Services Oversight and Accountability Commission (MHSOAC), the governing body for the Mental Health Services Act (MHSA), now known as Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA) or Proposition 1, recognized that the effects of mental health crises are evident on school campuses and that reaching pupils in the school setting is practical as a first point of contact for cognitive, behavioral, and substance use disorder services for youth. The MHSOAC is administering funds provided through California Senate Bill 75, which includes establishing mental health services partnerships between county behavioral health departments and educational entities to increase access to mental health services in locations that are easily accessible to students and their families.
Solano County Behavioral Health was awarded a three-year MHSSA Round 4 grant under the sustainability category in California. The sustainability category grant aims to identify various funding sources that can be used to sustain the delivery of school-based mental health services after the MHSSA grant funding is no longer available. Approval of this contract allows SCOE, as the lead agency, to implement the grant objectives which includes retaining a Quality Improvement and Sustainability (QIS) Coordinator position to provide the services outlined in the grant agreement. Grant objectives include developing and implementing a sustainability plan that will identify potential sources of funds to sustain MHSSA services, identifying barriers, providing data reports to MHSSA using the MHSSA data reporting tool, and attending grant meetings and technical assistance hosted by MHSOAC.
ALTERNATIVES:
The Board could choose not to approve the contract with SCOE. This is not recommended, as funds are available to develop and implement a plan for sustainable delivery of mental health services in school settings which provide vital services to children and youth in Solano County including mental health crisis services.
OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
The Department collaborated with SCOE to develop this contract. Additionally, local educational agencies and community members have consistently identified the need for increased mental health services in school settings during the MHSA community program planning process.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
APPROVE DEPARTMENTAL RECOMMENDATION