Agenda

Return

C. 37

To:	Board of Supervisors
From:	Anna Roth, Health Services
Date:	September 10, 2019

Contra

Costa

County

Subject:

Add Four Mental Health Clinical Specialist Positions in the Health Services Department

APPROVE	OTHER
RECOMMENDATION OF CNTY ADMINISTRATOR	RECOMMENDATION OF BOARD COMMITTEE

Action of Board On: 09/10/2019

APPROVED AS RECOMMENDED

OTHER

Clerks Notes:

VOTE OF SUPERVISORS

AYE:

Candace Andersen, District II Supervisor
Diane Burgis, District III Supervisor
Karen Mitchoff, District IV Supervisor
Federal D. Glover, District V Supervisor

ABSENT:

John Gioia, District I Supervisor

Contact:

Sabrina Pearson, (925) 957-5240

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: September 10, 2019
David Twa,

BY:	, Deputy

RECOMMENDATION(S):

ADOPT Position Adjustment Resolution No. 22510 to add four Mental Health Clinical Specialist (VQSB) positions at salary plan and grade level TC2-1384 ($5,180-$7,689) in the Health Services Department. (Represented)

FISCAL IMPACT:

Upon approval, this action has an annual cost of approximately $587,577 with $140,559 in pension costs already included. This cost will be offset by 75% Federal Financial Participation (FFP) and 25% Mental Health Realignment.

BACKGROUND:

The Health Services Department is requesting to add four Mental Health Clinical Specialist (MHCS) positions allocated to its Utilization Review within Behavioral Health Division. In order to receive funding from the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS), Contra Costa Behavioral Health Department (CCBHD) Utilization Review staff routinely perform chart reviews. This monitoring activity ensures that service providers enroll and treat the county’s target population as deemed appropriate by DHCS. During the last DHCS Triennial Audit in 2017, DHCS stipulated that CCBHD increase its annual chart review sample size from 5% to 10%. The state mandate for increased vigorous review process requires additional staffing capacity to meet such demand

The new positions will be responsible for the authorization of services provided by the Behavioral Health Division as well as community-based organizations and hospitals that we contract with to ensure that required documentation for services is met, appropriate and within State and Federal regulations, County policies and procedures. This includes levels of activity such as authorization, concurrent and retrospective reviews. The MHCS also works as part of the team that conducts audits of service providers to ensure compliance and quality of care. In addition, they participate in several regulatory audits conducted by the State Department of Health Care Services, Office of the Inspector General, and Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

CONSEQUENCE OF NEGATIVE ACTION:

If this action is not approved, the Utilization Review within Behavioral Health Division will not have adequate level of clinicians to perform review of patients' records, which may result in decrease of funding received.