Public health and behavioral‑health budgets shift as VHSA and other grants change

Public health and behavioral‑health managers summarized a series of funding shifts and program changes affecting next year’s budgets.

Stacy Spire, director of health services (introduced in the hearing), and fiscal staff said environmental‑health fee revenue (septic, well permits) is up and that the department is pursuing a VHSA prevention grant through the California Department of Public Health. “We did get notification this morning that there will be a 3% reduction in that, which will amount to about $5,000,” staff said of a community reinvestment grant, and they described the discontinuation of SNAP‑Ed (moved into state aid) as a reason federal aid lines fell while state aid climbed.

Behavioral‑health staff said reforming Drug Medi‑Cal Organized Delivery System (DMC‑ODS) contracting to a fee‑for‑service model (with a third‑party administrator) should improve local fiscal control and make program funding more sustainable. Staff also described a $700,000 capital expense in the mental‑health budget for an upcoming housing project that will be fully funded through BHSA and has state approval.

Supervisors raised routine questions about staffing and timing; departments said vacant positions will be filled using the new grant funds and that some accounting reclassifications will occur to reflect program shifts.