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TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council
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November 21, 2022
THROUGH: Public Safety Committee (November 16, 2022)
FROM: Public Health Department
SUBJECT: AUTHORIZE THE CITY MANAGER TO ENTER INTO AN AGREEMENT
WITH THE CALIFORNIA BOARD OF STATE AND COMMUNITY
CORRECTIONS TO RECOGNIZE AND APPROPRIATE $60,717 IN
PROPOSITION 47 GRANT FUNDS TO THE FISCAL YEAR 2023
PUBLIC HEAL TH DEPARTMENT OPERA TING BUDGET FOR THE
PASADENA OUTREACH RESPONSE TEAM EXPANSION ("PORT-E")
PROGRAM
RECOMMENDATION:
It is recommended that the City Council:
1. Find that the proposed action is not subject to the California Environmental Quality Act ("CEQA") pursuant to Section 21065 of CEQA and State CEQA Guidelines Sections 15060(c)(2), 15060(c)(3), and 15378, and, as such, no environmental document pursuant to CEQA is required;
2. Authorize the City Manager to enter into an agreement with the California Board of State and Community Corrections ("BSCC") to accept and administer $1,143,953 in Proposition 47 grant funds on behalf of the City of Pasadena to expand Pasadena Outreach Response Team ("PORT") services through June 1, 2026;
3. Amend the Fiscal Year 2023 Public Health Department operating budget by recognizing and appropriating $60,717 of BSCC Proposition 47 funding awarded to the Department in September 2022;
4. Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract with the Union Station Homeless Services for Licensed Clinical Social Worker ("LCSW") Services for three years, contingent on continued grant funding, in an amount not to exceed $567,007; Competitive Bidding is not required pur$uant to City Charter Section 1002(F) Contracts for Professional or Unique Services;
5. Authorize the City Manager to enter into a contract, with Huntington Hospital to provide nursing services, contingent on continued grant funding, in an amount not to MEETING OF __ 1 _1 /_2_1_/_2_0_2_2 ········-······•··········-, ......... A_G_E_N_ID_A_IT_E_M_N_O_. --=--=--=-- 9 --_-_-_-_____ - _-_]___.·
Pasadena Outreach Response Team Expansion Program (PORT-E) Grant November 21, 2022
exceed $231,446; Competitive Bidding is not required pursuant to City Charter Section 1002(F) Contracts for Professional or Unique Services; and
6. Grant the proposed contracts an exemption from the competitive selection process pursuant to Pasadena Municipal Code Section 4.08.049(8), contracts for which the City's best interests are served.
BACKGROUND:
To serve the needs of the Pasadena homeless population, the Pasadena Public Health Department ("Department") in partnership with the Pasadena Fire Department ("PFD") launched the Pasadena Outreach Response Team ("PORT") in 2019. PORT provides field-based support and advocacy for people experiencing homelessness, living with chronic health conditions, and/or diagnosed with mental health and/or substance use disorders. PORT uses a unique cross-sector approach delivered by a case manager/social worker, a firefighter, and a peer navigator in a proactive manner to address issues before a crisis. In July 2021, the City expanded the program by adding a second PORT team, which in addition to providing case management services, responds to 9-1-1 dispatch calls related to people experiencing homelessness. These services reduce the need for law enforcement response to homelessness concerns.
During Fiscal Year 2022, the PORT team responded to 552 calls for service.
In addition to an overall lack of affordable housing and coordination between social service systems, criminal justice involvement is a major risk factor for homelessness.
Formerly incarcerated people are nearly 10 times more likely to be homeless than the general public. People with behavioral health conditions, such as mental illnesses and substance use disorders, face increased risk of criminal justice involvement, compounding their already elevated risk of experiencing homelessness.
The Pasadena Public Health Department has sought opportunities to address this issue while also expanding the important efforts of the PORT team with a focus on working with justice-system involved individuals who are experiencing homelessness. In September 2022, the City of Pasadena Public Health Department ("Department") was awarded $1,143,953 through the Proposition 47 Grant funded by the Board of State and Community Corrections ("BSCC"). The grant will support the Pasadena Outreach Response Team ("PORT") for three and a half years from September 1, 2022, through June 1, 2026. The Department recommends recognizing and appropriating $60,717 of the grant award in FY 2023 to support the costs of a contracted 0.40 full-time equivalent ("FTE") Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) and 0. 75 FTE Registered Nurse (RN) from March 1, 2023 to June 30, 2023. The details of the proposed contracts are explained below. The remaining grant funding will be appropriated through the budget process in each of the next three fiscal years.
The grant requires the use of matching funds to support the program over the life of the Prop 47 program. The match will be satisfied through PPHD funds allocated to staff for program oversight, match commitments by subcontractors and by resources of the existing PORT. The grant also requires at least half of the grant award be passed through to Non-Government Organizations. The Department meets this requirement Pasadena Outreach Response Team Expansion Program (PORT-E) Grant November 21, 2022
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with a funding pass through of 57% to subcontracted community partners who must satisfy grant requirements including status as a federally recognized nonprofit.
The Department recommends City Council provide a competitive selection exemption for the following two contracts based on their subject matter expertise, history in Pasadena, and familiarity with community needs. Each of the following organizations were included in the Department grant application to the BSCC.
It Is in The City's Best Interests to Contract with Union Station Homeless Services.
The grant requires Mental Health Support for program participants and field-based services. PPHD recommends the City Council's approval of a competitive selection exemption to establish a new contract with Union Station Homeless Services (USHS), a Pasadena based 501 (C)3 Non-Profit Organization. If City Council approves the requested exemption, a 0.40 full-time equivalent ("FTE") Licensed Clinical Social Worker from USHS will join the PORT to administer the field-based mental health and substance use risk/needs assessment, make referrals for these services, provide intensive follow-up, and advocate on behalf of the client. Two USHS peer outreach workers will join the team to provide housing services and system navigation to PORT clients experiencing homelessness. USHS has been contracted by PPHD to provide peer outreach support since 2017 and has successfully met all contract requirements.
Union Station's demonstrated expertise at serving homeless populations, its designation as the lead agency managing homeless service efforts in the San Gabriel Valley, and its location in the city of Pasadena makes the organization uniquely qualified to provide the requested services. The proposed contract term is three years and is contingent on grant funding. The total not-to-exceed contract value is $567,007 with an expected start date of March 2023.
It Is in The City's Best Interests to Contract with Huntington Hospital The grant requires field-based health services for unhoused program participants.
PPHD recommends the City Council's approval of an exemption to establish a contract with Huntington Health, a provider of world-class health care services for the San Gabriel Valley since 1892. Since 2021, Huntington Health has partnered with the PORT program by providing a 0.25 FTE Registered Nurse in-kind to provide field-based health services with PORT. If City Council approves the requested exemption, the Registered Nurse will increase to 0. 75 FTE on the PORT team with the grant supporting 50% of the cost and Huntington Health supporting 25%. The proposed contract term is three years and is contingent on grant funding. The total not-to-exceed contract value is $231,446 with an anticipated start date of March 2023
Staff recommends Council consider the recommendations to enter into contracts with USHS and Huntington Hospital. Each contract will provide services that are critical to the success of the Prop 47 grant and will enable the PORT to provide additional mental health and substance use prevention services.
Pasadena Outreach Response Team Expansion Program (PORT-E) Grant November 21, 2022
Council Policy CONSIDERATION:
The proposed action is consistent with the City Council's Strategic Plan Goal to ensure public safety.
ENVIRONMENTAL ANALYSIS:
The action proposed herein is not a project subject to the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) in accordance with Section 21065 of CEQA and State CEQA Guidelines Sections 15060 (c)(2), 15060 (c)(3), and 15378. CEQA Guidelines Section 15060( c)(2) states that an activity is not subject to CEQA if "The activity will not result in a direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment." The proposed action consists of a contract and appropriation of funds. No direct or reasonably foreseeable indirect physical change in the environment would result. Under this definition, the proposed activity is not a CEQA "Project" and is, therefore, also not subject to CEQA pursuant to CEQA Guidelines Section 15060(c)(3).
Pasadena Outreach Response Team Expansion Program (PORT-E} Grant November 21, 2022
FISCAL IMPACT:
It is anticipated that the grant award of $60,717 will be received and spent in Fiscal Year 2023. If approved, the Department's Fiscal Year 2023 Operating Budget will be increased by $60,717 for project implementation. No net impact to the unappropriated fund balance is anticipated. Remaining grant funding will be appropriated and recognized in the annual budget submission in future fiscal years.
Prepared by:
Whitney Harrison, MPA
Division Manager
Department of Public Health
Approved by:
MIGUEL MARQUEZ
City Manager
ATTACHMENT A: Projected PORT-E Budget
Respectfully submitted,
Interim Director
Public Health Department
Concurred by:
r
MA AWKESWORTH
Director
Department of Finance