Item Coversheet

Board Action Request
17-0328

Item Description:
Agmt A177727 with the MN Dept of Human Services to receive a direct allocation from the Group Residential Housing fund for safe haven services for American Indians with severe substance use disorders; $296,784/year, plus annual COLA on 65% of that amount, effective 9/1/17; $100,000 supp appr to the 2017 HSPHD budget
Resolution:

BE IT RESOLVED, that Agreement A177727 with the Minnesota Department of Human Services to accept a direct allocation from the Group Residential Housing fund for Kola Safe Haven, in the annual amount of $296,784 per year with annual cost-of-living adjustment to 65% of that amount, beginning September 1, 2017, that a supplemental appropriation of $100,000 to the 2017 Human Services and Public Health Department budget, be approved; that the Chair of the Board be authorized to sign the Agreement on behalf of the county; and that the Controller be authorized to disburse the funds as directed; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that sponsorship and acceptance of grant funding for this program by the Hennepin County Board of Commissioners does not imply a continuing funding commitment by Hennepin County for this program when grant funds are no longer available.

Background:

Under the authority of Minnesota Statutes, section 256I.05, Subd.1a, paragraph b, Hennepin County's Human Services and Public Health Department (HSPHD) requested a cost-neutral transfer of funds from MN Department of Human Service’s (DHS) Group Residential Housing fund for this project, which was approved by the DHS Commissioner. This transfer is codified in an inter-governmental agreement which allocates $296,784 to Hennepin County annually to provide room and board and rehabilitative services for American Indians with substance use disorders of such severity that frequently risks the person’s physical safety and has resulted in a loss of permanent housing. The annual state fiscal year allocation will be equal to the base transfer of $296,784 plus annual cost-of-living adjustments to 65% of that amount, to be calculated annually by DHS using adjustments to the federal benefit rate.

 

HSPHD will create an expenditure contract with the American Indian Community Development Corporation (AICDC) to operate Kola Safe Haven to provide these services. AICDC operates several unique housing and service interventions for this population, including a detoxification facility under county contract at 1800 Chicago Avenue, and Anishinabe Wakiagun permanent supportive housing. Using a planning grant from Hennepin County, AICDC facilitated a culturally-relevant planning process with multiple stakeholders, including consumers, to identify solutions to homelessness among American Indians with acute substance use disorders. This process identified the need and developed the service model for Kola Safe Haven. Using this direct allocation to support Kola Safe Haven is anticipated to support a culturally-relevant housing and service solution in order to improve health equity for American Indians, decrease the number of American Indians with substance use disorders sleeping in places not fit for human habitation, decrease the time American Indians with substance use disorders experience homelessness, and decrease the use of detoxification services.

 

This GRH direct allocation will be new funding coming into the HSPHD budget, so a supplemental appropriation of $100,000 to the 2017 budget is requested. The remaining funding will be included in the proposed 2018 budget.