Agenda Item Name:
Title
Inter-fund Loan for Cooperative Agreement to Benefit Homeless Individuals (CABHI) Federal Grant Award
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Presenter:
Ron Akins
Description:
Increase Inter-fund Loan for Cooperative Agreement to Benefit Homeless Individuals (CABHI) Federal Grant Award
Recommended Action:
Recommended Action
Approve an increase to the inter-fund loan in the amount of $100,000 to the Cooperative Agreement to Benefit Homeless Individuals (CABHI) Federal Grant Fund to have the available cash to process payments prior to submitting the expenses for reimbursement.
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Prior Board Motions:
Approval of CABHI grant award: December 12, 2018
Approval of $150,000 inter-fund loan: March 27, 2019
Fiscal Consideration:
Fiscal Consideration
Budget was approved in FY20. $800,000
274.29.2954.563 various expense accounts
The General Fund inter-fund loan will be paid back at the close-out of the grant.
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Background:
On March 14, 2016 with the approval of the County Manager, Community Support Services applied for a CABHI grant through the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA). Community Support Services working in close partnership with Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Gainesville Housing Authority, Alachua County Housing Authority, and the Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry developed a proposal to provide additional treatment capacity for people with substance abuse and/or mental illness who are homeless. Although awarded funds cannot be used for housing, the project leverages other currently unused Housing Choice vouchers by providing additional behavioral healthcare support services. The program will focus on the homeless and chronically homeless individuals, veterans, families, and youth with mental illness, substance abuse, and physical health disabilities.
Community Support Services will coordinate all grant administration aspects including staff support of a CABHI steering committee, use of grant funds, and serves as the Grant Project Director. The CABHI Steering Committee is a required "infrastructure component" of the grant award. At a minimum the steering committee is comprised of Alachua County, Meridian, the Alachua County Coalition for the Homeless and Hungry, Alachua County and City of Gainesville Housing Authorities, Alachua County and City of Gainesville Fire Rescue, Medical Safety Net Provider(s), UF Mobile Outreach Clinic, Florida Department of Health, Gainesville Police Department, a Consumer(s), Lutheran Services of Florida, NAMI Gainesville, the VA, Partnership for Strong Families, the Florida Department of Juvenile Justice and Department of Corrections, and the SAMHSA Grant Project Officer. The Steering Committee is responsible for guiding initial implementation and on-going evaluation of the project.
A portion of the grant funding is used to create two (2) new Alachua County FTE's; a Grants/Contracts Specialist (1 FTE) and a Homeless Outreach Coordinator (1 FTE). The Homeless Outreach Coordinator is a clinically licensed eligible position that will work to engage the homeless, coordinate the activities of others doing outreach, and serve as a member of the newly created Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team. The Grants/Contract Specialist will be responsible for grant related administrative tasks.
Meridian Behavioral Healthcare, Inc. will coordinate and staff the ACT Team comprised of a Program Director (.15 FTE), Program Manager (1 FTE), Therapists (2 FTE), Care Coordinators (2 FTE), a Registered Nurse, (.05 FTE), Psychiatrist (.05 FTE), SOAR Specialist (.50 FTE), Peer Specialist (2 FTE) and a Program Assistant (.50 FTE). Additionally, Meridian will contract with an Evaluator who will conduct data analysis to determine project outcomes.
The project expects to complete 325 unduplicated outreach contacts annually. The ACT Team will serve up to 72 people annually and 216 over the three year project period. Project outcomes include increasing housing stability (50%), increased employment rates (25%), increased abstinence (50%) improved functioning and well-being (50%) improved social connectedness (50%) and increased community partnerships (10%).