5857-5860
WELFARE AND INSTITUTIONS CODE
SECTION 5857-5860
5857. (a) The State Department of Mental Health shall issue a request for applications for funding for new children's system of care programs to nonparticipating counties in each year that additional funds are provided for statewide expansion pursuant to this part. (b) Applications shall be submitted to the department by a county mental health department with joint approval of collaborating local agencies including, but not limited to, special education, juvenile court, probation, child protective services agencies, the board of supervisors, and the mental health advisory board. (c) Program staff from the department shall review all applications for funding for compliance with all requirements of law and the application guidelines established by the department. (d) The department may accept letters of intent from a county in lieu of an application if moneys are not available to the county, to affirm commitment by the county to participate in the request for applications for funding process when moneys become available. Upon approval of an application by the director, a county shall be funded for an initial three-year contract period as described in Section 5854 and annually thereafter, consistent with the provisions of this part. If a county is complying with the provisions of this part, the department shall assure that the county receives an annual allocation consistent with departmental guidelines for full funding, as resources are made available. 5859. If applications are deficient and not ready for approval, department program staff shall provide specific written descriptions of areas of deficiency to counties and provide, to the extent feasible, any requested training, consultation, and technical assistance to assist the applicant county to achieve necessary compliance and department approval. 5860. (a) Final selection of county proposals shall be subject to the amount of funding approved for expansion of services under this part. (b) Counties shall use funds distributed under this part only in support of a mental health system serving seriously emotionally disturbed children in accordance with the principles and program requirements associated with the system of care model described in this part. The State Department of Mental Health shall audit and monitor the use of these funds to ensure that the funds are used solely in support of the children's system of care program and in accordance with the performance contract described in subdivision (c). If county programs receiving children's system of care funding do not comply with program and audit requirements determined by the department, funds shall be redistributed to other counties to implement, expand, or model children's system of care programs. (c) The department shall enter into annual performance contracts with the selected counties and enter into training and consultation contracts as necessary to fulfill its obligations under this part. These annual performance contracts shall be in addition to the county mental health services performance contracts submitted to the department under Section 5650. Any changes in the staffing patterns or protocols, or both, approved in the original program proposal shall be identified and justified in these annual performance contracts. Annual performance contracts filed by counties operating the program as of January 1, 2001, shall, if approved by the department, serve as the baseline contract for purposes of this subdivision. The contracts shall be exempt from the requirements of the Public Contract Code and the State Administrative Manual and shall be exempt from approval by the Department of General Services.