Memorandum
Date: February 10, 2026
To: The Honorable Lake County Board of Supervisors
From: Elise Jones, Director of Behavioral Health Services
Subject: Consideration of Approval of a Transitional Rent Provider Agreement Between Lake County Behavioral Health Services and Partnership HealthPlan of California, Effective January 1, 2026, to Allow the County to Provide Transitional Rent Services Under the Medi-Cal Community Supports Benefit, With no Impact to the County General Fund.
Executive Summary:
The Lake County Behavioral Health Services (LCBHS) requests Board of Supervisors approval of a Transitional Rent Provider Agreement with Partnership HealthPlan of California (Partnership), effective January 1, 2026. This agreement authorizes LCBHS to serve as a Transitional Rent Provider under the Medi-Cal Community Supports benefit, providing up to six months of rental assistance for eligible Medi-Cal members who are experiencing or at risk of homelessness and have specific behavioral health needs. Managed Care Plans must contract with County Behavioral Health agencies (or their designees) as providers to ensure a bridge to longer-term subsidies like those provided under the Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA).
Under this agreement, LCBHS will coordinate and administer transitional rent payments for interim and permanent housing placements, ensuring units meet habitability standards, leases are compliant, and payments are issued timely to landlords or housing providers. Services may be delivered in coordination with Enhanced Care Management (ECM) providers and other housing support services to promote housing stability and continuity of care.
The agreement establishes reimbursement rates consistent with Department of Health Care Services (DHCS) guidance and Small Area Fair Market Rents standards, which vary by zip code and unit size to reflect local market costs, with no impact to County General Fund, as all costs are reimbursed through Partnership HealthPlan. Approval of this agreement allows Lake County to expand housing stabilization services for high-risk Medi-Cal members while aligning local behavioral health and housing interventions with statewide CalAIM objectives, reducing homelessness, improving health outcomes, and strengthening the County’s continuum of care without additional local fiscal impact.
If not budgeted, fill in the blanks below only:
Estimated Cost: ________ Amount Budgeted: ________ Additional Requested: ________ Future Annual Cost: ________
Purchasing Considerations (check all that apply): ☒ Not applicable
☐ Fully Article X. <https://library.municode.com/ca/lake_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH2AD_ARTXPU_S2-38EXCOBI>- and/or Consultant Selection Policy <http://lcnet.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Intranet/Policy/Policies+$!26+Procedures+Manual/Ch4_2021v2.pdf>-Compliant (describe process undertaken in “Executive Summary”)
☐ Section 2-38 <https://library.municode.com/ca/lake_county/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=COOR_CH2AD_ARTXPU_S2-38EXCOBI> Exemption from Competitive Bidding (rationale in “Executive Summary,” attach documentation, as needed)
☐ For Technology Purchases: Vetted and Supported by the Technology Governance Committee <http://lcnet.co.lake.ca.us/Assets/Intranet/Intranet+Forms/Information+Technology/AdvPlan.pdf> (“Yes,” if checked)
☐ Other (Please describe in Executive Summary)
Consistency with Vision 2028 <http://www.lakecountyca.gov/Government/Directory/Administration/Visioning/Vision2028.htm> (check all that apply): ☐ Not applicable
☒ Well-being of Residents ☐ Public Safety ☐ Disaster Prevention, Preparedness, Recovery
☐ Economic Development ☐ Infrastructure ☐ County Workforce
☐ Community Collaboration ☐ Business Process Efficiency ☐ Clear Lake
Recommended Action: Approve the Transitional Rent Provider Agreement between Lake
County Behavioral Health Services and Partnership Healthplan of California, effective
January 1, 2026, and authorize the Behavioral Health Director to sign the agreement and
any future non-substantive amendments necessary to implement the program.