Subject:
Title
Funding Agreement with WestCare Gulf Coast Florida, Inc. under the grant award for the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration’s Cooperative Agreement to Benefit Homeless Individuals.
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Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approval and execution by the County Administrator of the Funding Agreement with WestCare Gulf Coast Florida, Inc. (WestCare) to enhance mental health and substance abuse treatment services through the Cooperative Agreement to Benefit Homeless Individuals (CABHI) grant award from U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ (HHS) Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).
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Strategic Plan:
Ensure Public Health, Safety and Welfare
2.1 Provide planning, coordination, prevention, and protective services to ensure a safe and secure community.
2.2 Be a facilitator, convener and purchaser of services for those in need.
2.4 Support programs that seek to prevent and remedy the causes of homelessness and move individuals and families from homelessness to permanent housing.
Deliver First Class Services to the Public and Our Customers
5.1 Maximize partner relationships and public outreach.
5.2 Be responsible stewards of the public’s resources.
Summary:
This Agreement provides funding to WestCare for client services such as screening and assessment utilizing a Bio-psychosocial Assessment and the Life Events Checklist; group, individual and family counseling utilizing Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT); and peer leadership, outreach, advocacy, coaching and recovery support services to those seeking or sustaining recovery within the community through a Peer Recovery Support Specialist. Additionally, the Peer Recovery Support Specialist will work with clients to build social support networks to underpin recovery efforts.
This Agreement will be effective retroactive to October 1, 2016 and expires on September 29, 2019.
Background/Explanation:
In August 2016, the County was awarded a Cooperative Agreement Grant from SAMHSA to provide critical health care needs to the County’s homeless population. Funding from this grant is expected to provide evidence-based mental health and substance abuse treatment services for individuals who experience homelessness and have serious mental illness, substance use disorder, serious emotional disturbance, and/or co-occurring disorder
The award of the CABHI grant at $800,000.00 per year for three (3) years, establishes a new initiative designed to reduce service gaps for homeless residents. The program has a strong housing link with partnering agencies and provides for a cross-discipline approach to connect support services. With expanded focus on rapid rehousing, the link to supportive behavioral health services is critical for stability. WestCare is one of the program partners and will provide counseling to remove barriers to client treatment.
Since 2001, WestCare has offered programs and services across the health and human services continuum. They have emphasized serving individuals experiencing or at risk of homelessness; individuals with substance abuse and co-occurring disorders; and veterans and adults involved in the criminal justice system. WestCare is licensed for prevention, outpatient, aftercare, residential substance abuse treatment services, residential mental health services, crisis stabilization services, detoxification services and substance abuse prevention services. They are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Rehabilitation Facilities (CARF).
WestCare serves approximately 650 individuals daily through their Continuum of Care. Data from WestCare’s emergency shelter and inebriate receiving facility revealed that at intake 63% of clients reported having a mental illness; 72% reported alcohol use; 27% reported drug abuse; and 42% reported both alcohol and drug abuse.
Fiscal Impact:
WestCare will receive an amount not to exceed $210,143.00 per contract year for three years, for a total award not to exceed $630,429.00. Funding for this contract will be allocated from the federal grant award received from SAMHSA, which is $800,000.00 per year for three years for a total award of $2,400,000.00. No cost sharing/match is required.
Delegated Authority:
Authority for the County Administrator to sign these Amendments is granted under Code Section 2-62 (a)(2).
Staff Member Responsible:
Lourdes Benedict, Director, Human Services
Partners:
Boley Centers, Inc.
Catholic Charities/Pinellas Hope
Directions for Living, Inc.
Florida Department of Health in Pinellas County
Homeless Empowerment Program
Mobile Medical Unit Advisory Council
Operation PAR
Pinellas County Housing Authority
Ready for Life
U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
WestCare Gulf Coast of Florida, Inc.
Attachments:
Funding Agreement
Program Governance
Program Outcomes Report
Data Sharing Agreement
Agreement Modification
HIPAA Business Associate Agreement
Insurance Requirements
Appendix A Grant Application
Appendix B Project Budget
Appendix C Notice of Award
Appendix D Grant Funding Conditions
Appendix E Certifications