DEPARTMENT: Social Services
FILE TYPE: Regular Action
TITLE
title
Ratification Of Minnesota Department Of Human Services Combined Mobile Crisis Services And Home And Community Based Services Medical Assistance Percentage Grant Application, And Authorization To Accept Grant Funds And Execute Grant Agreement
end
PURPOSE/ACTION REQUESTED
Ratify application for the Minnesota Department of Human Services (DHS) calendar year (CY) 2023 and CY 2024 combined Mobile Crisis Services and Home and Community Based Services Medical Assistance Percentage (HCBS-FMAP) competitive grant application, and if awarded, authorize acceptance of grant funds and execution of the grant agreement.
SUMMARY
Dakota County operates a crisis services continuum that meets the requirements of Minn. Stat.§ 256B.0944, Minn. Stat. § 256B.0624, and 245I. These services include: 24-hour telephone screening and triage, dispatch of mobile crisis response teams, face-to-face crisis assessments, face-to-face crisis intervention, crisis stabilization and crisis follow-up and outreach.
By Resolution No.18-363 (July 17, 2018), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners authorized staff to apply for and execute grant agreements with DHS for crisis grant funds for the provision of mental health crisis services in accordance with Minn. Stat. § 256B.0944 and Minn. Stat. § 256B.0624. Subsequently, grant agreements, and amendments for crisis services, were executed for CY 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022.
The CY 2022 DHS grant agreement, in the amount of $550,000, funds 6.0 full-time equivalents (FTEs) providing crisis stabilization services, and purchase of services for crisis system coordination. Crisis stabilization services are short-term mental health services. Services are provided in the community and are guided by a crisis assessment and intervention treatment plan. Crisis stabilization is a part of the mental health crisis services continuum.
Given community needs, evolving system roles, and expected increased funding for crisis services, the Dakota County Board of Commissioners, by Resolution No. 21-461 (September 21, 2021), and by Resolution No. 21-618 (December 14, 2021), authorized adding 17.0 new FTEs to provide expanded access to the full continuum of adult and child crisis services. It was expected staff would apply to DHS for funding for service expansion as soon as DHS grant funds were available.
On April 25, 2022, DHS released the application for a portion of available crisis services funds that must be spent by June 30, 2023. On May 13, 2022, Dakota County responded to the competitive application process with a request of $600,000 to support expansion of the phone and mobile response team, as outlined in the budget amendment authorized by Resolution No. 21-461 (September 21, 2021). On July 25, 2022, DHS notified Dakota County that they would be allocating the requested HCBS-FMAP funding for State Fiscal Year (SFY) 2023 in the amount of $600,000 and the requested Coronavirus Appropriations Act (CAA) funding for two years in the amount of $57,224.
On August 2, 2022, DHS released the CY 2023 and 2024 application for mobile crisis services State grant funds with a due date of September 2, 2022. For CY 2023 and 2024, DHS is issuing a combined mobile crisis services and HCBS-FMAP application. This is a competitive application process to evaluate requests and determine grant awards for both State and HCBS-FMAP funding. The timelines for expending these funds, following the completion of all grant activities, are different (Attachment: Funding Timelines and Amounts). The total dollars available, statewide, through the combined application for CY 2023 and 2024 is $53,230,000.
Dakota County has developed and is in the process of implementing an actionable plan for crisis continuum expansion. Staff will prepare an application for DHS crisis services funding that funds Dakota County’s 2022 crisis services expansion activities, in full, and adds supplemental administrative staffing and purchase of services to address unmet needs (Attachment: Grant Application Request Summary).
OUTCOMES
The County must report specific information about services provided and persons served by this grant funding using the Mental Health Information System. Staff will submit quarterly outcome reports to DHS for crisis grant work plan activities.
RECOMMENDATION
recommendation
Staff recommends ratification of the DHS Combined Mobile Crisis Services and HCBS-FMAP in the amount of up to $5,000,000 for CY 2023 and CY 2024; and if the grants are awarded, staff requests authorization to accept the grant funds and execute the grant agreements, including amendments, with DHS.
end
EXPLANATION OF FISCAL/FTE IMPACTS
The 2023 State mobile crisis services and HCBS-FMAP grant allocation award will be included in the 2023 County Manager’s Recommended Budget.
☐ None ☒ Current budget ☐ Other
☐ Amendment Requested ☐ New FTE(s) requested
RESOLUTION
body
WHEREAS, Dakota County operates a crisis services continuum that meets the requirements of Minn. Stat.§ 256B.0944, Minn. Stat. § 256B.0624, and 245I; and
WHEREAS, the Department of Human Services (DHS) administers State and federal funds through grant agreements for the provision of mental health crisis services in accordance with Minn. Stat. § 256B.0944, Minn. Stat. § 256B.0624 and 245I; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No.18-363 (July 17, 2018), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners authorized staff to apply for and execute grant agreements with DHS for crisis grant funds for the provision of mental health crisis services in accordance with Minn. Stat. § 256B.0944 and Minn. Stat. § 256B.0624 and subsequently, grant agreements, and amendments for crisis services, were executed for CY 2019, 2020, 2021, and 2022; and
WHEREAS, DHS requires that counties submit an application for calendar year 2023 and 2024 for mobile crisis services; and
WHEREAS, by Resolution No. 21-461 (September 21, 2021) and by Resolution No. 21-618 (December 14, 2021), the Dakota County Board of Commissioners authorized adding 17.0 new full-time equivalents (FTEs) to Dakota County’s crisis continuum team to meet community needs, in preparation for having an actionable plan when DHS funding was available; and
WHEREAS, staff will prepare and submit grant applications for crisis services funding to meet DHS submission requirements.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby ratifies the Combined Mobile Crisis Services and Home and Community Based Services Medical Assistance Percentage Grant Application submission to the Minnesota Department of Human Services for calendar years (CY) 2023 and 2024, and State Fiscal Years (SFY) 2022, 2023, and 2024 for a total grant amount of up to $5,000,000; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Dakota County Board of Commissioners hereby authorizes the Community Services Director to accept the grant funds, and execute the mobile crisis grant agreement for CY 2023 and 2024, and State Fiscal Years (SFY) 2022, 2023, and 2024, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That unless the grant program requirements change, the Community Services Director is hereby authorized to amend the grant to alter the grant term, accept additional grant funds, and continue grant-funded full-time equivalent(s) (if relevant), consistent with County contracting policies, and inclusion of grant funds in the future yearly recommended and approved budgets, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That the Community Services Director is hereby authorized to execute the mobile crisis grant renewal contract for CY 2023 and 2024, and State Fiscal Years (SFY) 2022, 2023, and 2024, in the amount of the grant awarded, subject to approval by the County Attorney’s Office as to form.
end
PREVIOUS BOARD ACTION
18-363; 7/17/18
21-461; 9/21/21
21-618; 12/14/21
ATTACHMENTS
Attachment: Funding Timelines and Amounts
Attachment: Grant Application Request Summary
BOARD GOALS
☐ A Great Place to Live ☒ A Healthy Environment
☐ A Successful Place for Business and Jobs ☐ Excellence in Public Service
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT LEVEL
☐ Inform and Listen ☐ Discuss ☐ Involve ☒ N/A
CONTACTS
Department Head: Evan Henspeter
Author: Emily Schug