LOS ANGELES COUNTY
DEPARTMENT OF MENTAL HEALTH
  Policy 802.02 Disbursement of State/Federal Funds to Other County Departments
 
Policy Category:  Administrative
Distribution Level:  Directly-Operated Programs 
Responsible Party:  Financial Services
 
Approved by Roberto Quiroz, Director, on October 1, 1989
I.  PURPOSE
 
To establish procedures for ensuring compliance with State/federal reimbursement requirements when State/federal funds are disbursed to other County departments.
 
II.  BACKGROUND
 
The California Welfare and Institutions Code, Section 5609.5, specifies: “Any County agency other than the community mental health services may provide services pursuant to this part only if such agency has made a specific written agreement with the mental health services to provide such services.”

The State of California, Department of Mental Health, which has administrative responsibility over Short-Doyle and Short-Doyle Medi-Cal funds, has published the following administrative policy:
  • "Short Form Contracts (Letters of Agreement, ...) must include:
     
    • Estimates of gross cost, revenue, net cost, units of service, and rate per unit of service
    • Contract period
    • The maximum dollar amount reimbursable
    • Services to be rendered.”
Also, State Department of Mental Health Policy #76-43 specifies “service rendered by other County agencies in 1976-77 and thereafter without benefit of a specific written agreement, are subject to audit exception.”
 
III.  POLICY
 
All State/federal reimbursement requirements regarding payments to other County departments are to be complied with, if State/federal funds are utilized.
 
IV.  PROCEDURES
 
V.  AUTHORITIES
 
California Welfare and Institutions Code Section 5609.5
State Department of Mental Health Administrative Policy