Agenda

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C. 55

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Marla Stuart, Employment and Human Services Director
Date:	March 21, 2023

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Emergency Response Enhancement Allocation

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 03/21/2023

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor
Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Ken Carlson, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

Contact:

L. Pacheco (925) 608-4963

I hereby certify that this is a true and correct copy of an action taken and entered on the minutes of the Board of Supervisors on the date shown.
ATTESTED: March 21, 2023
Monica Nino, County Administrator

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

RATIFY the Employment and Human Services Department Emergency Response (ER) Enhancement Funding Program Plan through the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Family Centered Safety and Support Bureau and APPROVE and AUTHORIZE the Employment and Human Services Department (EHSD) Director, or designee to accept a noncompetitive allocation in the amount of $762,857 from the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to enhance ER service quality for the period of July 1, 2023 through June 30, 2026.

FISCAL IMPACT:

100% State General Fund. County to receive up to $762,857 from the State of California Department of Social Services (CDSS) to fund enhancing Emergency Response (ER) service quality over a three-year period in FYs 23/24, 24/25, and 25/26. There is no required County and partner match.

BACKGROUND:

In December 2022, the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) issued an All County Welfare Letter announcing the FY 2022-23 noncompetitive allocation for all fifty-eight (58) counties in the amount of $50 million based on the total number of referrals and safety and risk data as reported in Child Welfare Services/Case Management System. Contra Costa County EHSD CFS has been allocated $762,857.

The Emergency Response Enhancement provides funding to increase the number of child welfare social workers in Emergency Response (ER) and enhance existing ER services. The Budget Act of 2022 (Assembly Bill (AB) 179 (Chapter 249)) appropriated a total of $50 million in General Funds (GF) for Emergency Response Enhancement for Fiscal years (FY) 2023-26, available for expenditure through June 30, 2026.

Funds will be used to reassign current staff to the Emergency Response program to assist with the high ER caseload, offer overtime as needed, and provide training and supports to increase ER Social Worker knowledge and expertise.

Previous Contra Costa County EHSD CFS Emergency Response (ER) Enhancement Funding allocation through the California Department of Social Services (CDSS) Family Centered Safety and Support Bureau for FY 2021-22 and FY 2022-2023 was in the amount of $774,857.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

Without Emergency Response (ER) Enhancement Funding, the County will continue to experience an increased ER caseload affecting referral conclusion timeliness and delayed relative placements, and ER staff will not receive timely training on the current safety trends.

CHILDREN'S IMPACT STATEMENT:

Funding resulting from this grant will support three of the five community outcomes established in the Children’s Report Card: 2) "Children and Youth Healthy and Preparing for Productive Adulthood"; 3) “Families that are Economically Self Sufficient”; and 4) “Families that are Safe, Stable and Nurturing”.