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Lake County supervisors approve $1.2M agreement with schools for specialty mental health services
Summary
The Lake County Board of Supervisors voted 5–0 to approve a contract with the Lake County Office of Education for specialty mental health services for fiscal year 2025–26, not to exceed $1.2 million, as staff transitions from a grant to Medi‑Cal funding.
The Lake County Board of Supervisors voted 5–0 to approve an agreement with the Lake County Office of Education (LCOE) to provide specialty mental health services for fiscal year 2025–26 in an amount not to exceed $1,200,000 and authorized the chair to sign the contract.
Director Jones, who outlined the county’s work with LCOE, said the county is completing the final year of a Mental Health Student Services Act grant and is transitioning those services to a specialty Medi‑Cal contract as the primary funding source. “We have spent the past portion of this fiscal year working with LCOE… It is unusually late to bring this late in the fiscal year. However, all of those services remain well within the reimbursement timeline,” Director Jones said, adding that once the contract is executed the county can begin batching and processing invoices back to July 1.
Why it matters: the contract formalizes the county’s pathway for delivering Medi‑Cal‑reimbursable specialty mental health services in schools after grant funding ends, affecting students under 21 who receive school‑based behavioral health care.
Board discussion focused on contract mechanics and fiscal details. A supervisor who pulled the item for questions said the county appears to be managing two related contracts—one creating program structure and one to provide services—and sought clarity about which contract carries funds. The supervisor also pressed staff on a change in passthrough reimbursement to providers, noting the prior rate had been 65% and the new contract reflects a 55% passthrough; the supervisor asked for the status of services and the dollar amount owed since July 1. Director Jones said services continued during negotiations and that the county and LCOE will batch invoices, and she offered to follow up by email with billed‑claims details.
During the public‑comment period, Kyle Bill, executive director of Konoka Taino Wellness, urged the county and LCOE to consider subcontracting portions of the work to local community providers so tribal youth can receive counseling, art therapy and culturally informed services in schools. “We would fully support the Board of Supervisors approving this contract so that students … can benefit from the services that are delivered,” Kyle Bill said.
Action taken: Supervisor (unnamed in the transcript) moved to approve the LCOE agreement; Director Jones seconded and the motion carried 5–0. Director Jones said staff will follow up with the supervisor about the amount owed and invoice processing.
Next steps: the contract will be executed and county staff will begin batching invoices for processing. Director Jones will provide an email follow‑up with details on claims billed since July 1.
