THE HUMAN SERVICES DEPARTMENT AND COMMUNITY PARTNERSHIPS DIVISION RECOMMEND APPROVAL OF THE ABOVE MOTIONS.
These actions support the Board’s Value of “Approaching human services collaboratively and compassionately,” and the Goal to “Collaborate with public and private partners to find creative, equitable, and responsible solutions to systemic community problems.”
Retroactive approval is requested due to the delay in the County receiving verification of service eligibility and related funding changes from the Broward Behavioral Health Coalition, Inc. (BBHC) after its mid-year reallocation assessments of eligible Community Mental Health contracts.
Pursuant to Chapter 394.76(9)(a) of the Florida Statute, state funds for community alcohol and mental health services shall be matched by local funds. In accordance with this statute, Board of County Commissioners of Broward County, Florida (Board) provides local match funds to mental health providers based on the Fiscal Year 2017 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 and defines Local Matching 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. Match funds allow Broward County agencies to continue to provide an array of adult mental health services such as: assessment, drop-in centers, crisis stabilization services, outreach, medical services, housing and other supportive services.
On October 25, 2016 (Item No. 13), the Board approved Fiscal Year 2017 Community Mental Health Match Funds for nine agencies, in the total amount of $1,069,840. On April 21, 2017, BBHC shared its mid-year funding reallocation amounts with the County. Funding for three agencies receiving local match funds from the County were impacted. Archways, Inc. received a decrease in its BBHC contract due to inability to utilize the originally approved funds. Accordingly, the local match funds originally approved by the Board in the amount of $352,500 were reduced to the required amount of $185,545. Two agencies received funding increases requiring the provision of additional local match funds: Broward House, Inc.'s match amount for eligible service areas increased by $1,693 (from $118,244 to $119,937) and Broward Regional Health Planning Council Inc.'s match amount for eligible service areas increased by $28,624 (from $257,948 to $286,572).
The changes in local match funding amounts ensure contracts to the designated agencies remain in the required state-to-local ratio of 75-to-25. In accordance with the Community Mental Health Contract shell approved by the Board on August 16, 2016 (Item No. 11), all changes in local match funding amounts must be approved by the Board. The local match Agreements are aligned with the State's Fiscal Year that ends June 30, 2017.
Amendments will be approved as to form by the Office of the County Attorney prior to execution by the County Administrator. |