THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTIONS.
These actions support the Board’s Value of “[A]pproaching human services collaboratively and compassionately with special emphasis on the most vulnerable” and the goals to “[E]ffectively advocate for and acquire municipal, state, and federal financial support to equitably address health and human services needs of the entire community through a truly coordinated system of care." Match funding supports the provision of an array of adult mental health and substance abuse services in the community.
Pursuant to Section 394.76(9)(a) Florida Statutes, state funds for community alcohol and mental health services shall be matched by local funds. Accordingly, Broward County must provide local match funds to mental health service providers based on the Fiscal Year 2018 funding allocated by the State of Florida Department of Children and Families (DCF), Circuit 17. The statute also requires a local match on a 75-to-25 state-to-local ratio. Section 394.67(13) Florida Statutes defines local match funds as monies received from governing bodies, including city commissions, county commissions, district school boards, special tax districts, private hospital funds, private gifts (both individual and corporate), bequests and funds received from community drives or any other sources. DCF has provided direct contractual oversight of the Adult Community Mental Health Services in Broward County until November 2012, when it contracted with the Broward Behavioral Health Coalition, Inc. (BBHC) for local management and oversight of these services.
The Fiscal Year 2018 Local Match Application was released on February 12, 2018. On February 15, 2018, an applicant workshop was held, providing both an overview of the application process and a venue for agency representatives to ask County staff questions. The application deadline was March 23, 2018. Fourteen agencies submitted applications and eleven agencies qualified for funding in the total amount of $1,653,975. This amount exceeds the available funds in the approved Fiscal Year 2018 budget. The increase in required match for 2018 is due to the additional mental health and substance abuse funding allocated by DCF, reallocation of existing funding to match required services. In addition, four providers that had not previously required County match will be funded. Board approval for additional funds in the amount of $363,617 for local match is a one-time request for Fiscal Year 2018 (Exhibits 2 and 3). The Local Match Application process is conducted annually due to the DCF's funding fluctuations, thus the agreement period is aligned with the State Fiscal Year.
BBHC is responsible for identifying, tracking and monitoring outcome achievement for its service providers requiring local match. BBHC reports that nine agencies have findings requiring either a Corrective Action Plan or a Quality Improvement Plan for the period of July 1, 2017 to December 31, 2017 (Exhibit 4).
Recommended service providers (Exhibit 1, Attachment A) have certified compliance with all applicable federal, state and local laws and regulations. All Local Match Agreements will utilize the Local Match Standard Agreement form included as Exhibit 1 Attachment B.
Approval of this item would give rise to certain employment conflicts under Section 112.313(7)(a), Florida Statutes, which provides that “[n]o public officer . . . shall have or hold any employment or contractual relationship with any business entity . . . which is . . . doing business with [ ] an agency of which he or she is an officer or employee.” In accordance with Section 112.313(12), Florida Statutes, Board approval is required to waive any conflict arising under Section 112.313(7)(a), Florida Statutes. An effective waiver requires a two-thirds vote of the County Commission after full disclosure of the conflicting relationship (Motion C). Form 4A attached hereto as Exhibit 5 constitutes full disclosure of any existing conflict.
|