REPORT TO SHASTA COUNTY BOARD OF SUPERVISORS

BOARD MEETING DATE:  September  11, 2018
CATEGORY:  Consent - Health and Human Services-9.

SUBJECT:

Agreement with Northern Valley Catholic Social Service for Crisis Counseling Program

Supervisorial District No. :  All

DEPARTMENT CONTACT:  Donnell Ewert, Director, Health and Human Services Agency, (530) 225-5899

STAFF REPORT APPROVED BY:  Donnell Ewert, Director, Health and Human Services Agency, (530) 225-5899

RECOMMENDATION

Take the following actions: (1) Approve and accept the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) supplemental grant funding award (FEMA-4382-DR-CA) awarded to Shasta County to provide crisis counseling assistance and training due to the Carr Fire in the amount of $339,783.26 for the period date of signing through June, 30, 2019; (2) approve and authorize the Chairman to sign an agreement with Northern Valley Catholic Social Service, Inc. to provide FEMA-funded crisis counseling services in an amount not to exceed $199,546 for the period date of signing through June 30, 2019; and (3) make the determination that the approval of the recommended actions is exempt from the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) per CEQA Guidelines Section 15378(b)(4) since the recommended actions are government fiscal activities which do not involve commitment to any specific project which may result in a potentially significant physical impact on the environment.

SUMMARY

Approval of the recommendations will allow the Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) to reimburse costs to County staff for the first 14-days from the “Pre-Award Cost” allocation for the Immediate Services Program (ISP) retroactively, for crisis counseling services during the presidential emergency declaration effective August 4, 2018 and contract with Northern Valley Catholic Social Service, Inc. (NVCSS) for additional crisis counseling assistance and training program (CCP) to assist individuals and communities recovering from the effects of these natural disasters, with funding provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) through the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS).

DISCUSSION

The Carr Fire that ignited on July 23, 2018 and continues to burn and it has had an unprecedented impact on Shasta County. In total, the Carr Fire burned over 229,000 acres – the second largest acreage ever burned in California. It has destroyed 1,079 residences, 22 commercial structures, and 503 outbuildings; and damaged 190 residences, 26 commercial structures, and 63 outbuildings. The fire has caused eight fatalities, including four responders and four civilians, and forced over 40,000 residents to evacuate. 

On August 4, 2018 the President of the United States issued a declaration of major disaster in Shasta County and FEMA authorized individual assistance for persons in Shasta County affected by the Carr Fire. On August 16, 2018, DHCS applied for a FEMA grant, on behalf of HHSA, for CCP Services. On August 21, 2018 HHSA received a Notice of Award for $339,783.26 for the Immediate Services Program (ISP) through June 30, 2019. The CCP is a federally funded supplemental program administered by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) and FEMA. Section 416 of the Robert T. Stafford Disaster Relief and Emergency Assistance Act, 42 U.S.C. §5183, authorizes FEMA to fund mental health assistance and training activities. The mission of the CCP is to assist individuals and communities in recovering from the effects of natural and human-caused disasters (such as The Carr Fire) through the provision of community-based outreach and psycho-educational services. The CCP supports short-term interventions that involve assisting disaster survivors in understanding their current situations and reactions, mitigating stress, developing coping strategies, providing emotional support, and encouraging linkages with other individuals and agencies that help survivors in their recovery process.

The HHSA selected NVCSS as the provider for CCP Services. The Federal procurement standards allow procurement by noncompetitive proposals (commonly known as sole sourcing) under certain circumstances, including when a local or tribal government or private non-profit (non-State applicant) determines that the public exigency or emergency for the requirement will not permit a delay resulting from competitive solicitation.

Crisis Counseling means the application of individual and group treatment procedures which are designed to ameliorate the mental and emotional crisis and their subsequent psychological and behavioral conditions resulting from a major disaster or its aftermath. Services funded through the CCP include individual crisis counseling, basic supportive or educational contact, group crisis counseling, public education, community network and support, assessment, referral and resource linkage, development and distribution of educational materials, and media and public service announcements.

Consistent and timely data collection and evaluation are necessary to measure success of outreach efforts and the changing needs of disaster survivors. NVCSS shall provide services to up to 3,598 clients during the ISP component of the CCP. Data on service delivery must be collected by NVCSS staff and provided to DHCS through authorized accounts in the CCP Online Data Collection and Evaluation System (ODCES). The mobile application for data collection is designed to enhance and streamline the process of data entry and reduce the lag time between data collection and its availability to NVCSS staff and federal partners.

The application for initial ISP funding is intended to support CCP services during the ISP and ISP-extension period.  The ISP period is 60 days from the date of the major disaster declaration, the ISP-extension period covers from the end of the ISP to the date of Regular Services Program (RSP) approval.  However, to minimize the number of amendments and provide uninterrupted services, the upcoming DHCS agreement includes an extension through June 30, 2019, to authorize monthly reimbursements for the ISP until the transition to the RSP. Once the RSP is approved, DHCS will extend the grant by nine months from the date of the Notice of Award and additional reporting requirements will apply. If a RSP application is not approved, then an ISP programmatic and fiscal report is due 90 days from the end of the ISP period end date.

This agreement also authorizes the HHSA Director, or any HHSA Branch Director designated by the HHSA Director, to approve, in writing and in advance, budget line item shifts, provided that the line item shift does not exceed 15 percent of any Budget Category during the entire term of this agreement and provided further that the line item shift shall not increase the total compensation payable under this agreement.

ALTERNATIVES

The Board could choose not to accept the funding and approve the agreement.

OTHER AGENCY INVOLVEMENT

County Counsel has approved the agreement as to form.  Risk Management has reviewed and approved the agreement.  This recommendation has been reviewed by the County Administrative Office.

FINANCING

The grant funding will cover the costs of the agreement with NVCSS as well as provide funding for HHSA staff providing CCP services.  Sufficient appropriations and revenue were included in the appropriate HHSA Fiscal Year 2018-19 Adopted Budgets. There is no additional General Fund impact with the recommendation.