VENTURA — The Ventura County Board of Supervisors has unanimously approved a $2.55 billion balanced Budget for FY 2021-2022 at Monday’s Budget Hearing. “This budget, at the direction of the Board, represents the culmination of over six months of work with departments, the fiscal team, the Board and community. What results is a real focus on pandemic recovery, both the health and economic impacts,” said County Executive Officer Mike Powers. “The budget also supports sustaining critical core services of health, social and safety services, streets and roads, investment in capital as well as IT infrastructure. At the same time, it enhances what the Board has identified as a priority including public health, mental health, services for individuals facing homelessness and climate action.”
Recognizing the great need to support unsheltered individuals, the budget includes ongoing support of year-round shelters, rapid re-housing/rental assistance, street outreach, homelessness prevention, landlord engagement, youth services and permanent supportive housing. Additional State and Federal funding is also under review to support continued crisis response and permanent housing resources.
“It’s astounding to be able to put out so many resources to help people on so many levels,” said Chair of the Board Linda Parks. “I am really happy with the strength of this budget. Our priorities were taken and put into numbers and that means services and support for our communities.”
The budget also includes expanding public health services, new positions in mental health diversion programs, increased staffing and services funding in the Farmworker Resource Program, new positions to support diversity, equity, inclusion, and community engagement efforts among others.
In support of mental health services, the budget includes a General Fund contribution to fund staffing for seven remaining inpatient psychiatric beds at the Ventura County Medical Center Inpatient Psychiatric Unit. The increased funding will enable the County to add four additional chairs to the Crisis Stabilization Unit.
In support of environmental sustainability, the budget includes funding and staffing for the implementation of the Climate Action Plan. This plan was adopted as part of the General Plan to evaluate policies and programs for greenhouse gas reduction, sea level rise and climate adaptation strategies that address county vulnerabilities to climate change and increase the County’s long-term resilience.
The budget also invests in supporting foster youth and adult protective services, support for increased substance use services, the transition of the state Division of Juvenile Justice closure that shifts responsibility for young adults up to age 25 to county youth facilities among other areas of public safety and wellness.
The County continues to invest in infrastructure including significant upgrades to the County’s Fire Stations and the purchase of the Family Justice Center to provide services to victims of crimes.
Key budget highlights include a total County appropriation of $2.55 billion, up $97.9 million or 4.0% from prior year. General Fund General Purpose Revenues include $464.8 million, up $17.2 million or 3.9% from prior year.
COVID-19 response programs carried forward into FY 2021-22 include business assistance grants, housing support for people facing homelessness, vaccine distribution, providing food to homebound seniors and those with disabilities, farmworker assistance and Ventura County medical System Operations. “Pandemic recovery doesn’t recognize fiscal years. Supportive programs are continuing into this next budget year to help our community recover,” said County Executive Officer Mike Powers. The budget increases business fee waivers to 100 percent totaling an estimated $3.6 million in support of further pandemic economic recovery. The budget comes after the County’s $373 million COVID-19 Spending Plan through June 30, 2021 which was carefully budgeted to ensure that the maximum amount was invested in services for the community.
www.vcnewschannel.com/news/460-bos-approves-fy2021-22-balanced-budget
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La Junta de Supervisores del condado aprueba un presupuesto equilibrado de $2.55 mil millones para el an?o fiscal 2021-2022 |
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VENTURA – – La Junta de Supervisores del condado aprobo? por unanimidad un presupuesto equilibrado de $2.55 mil millones para el an?o fiscal 2021-2022. “Este presupuesto, bajo la direccio?n de la Junta, representa la culminacio?n de mas de seis meses de trabajo con los departamentos, el equipo fiscal, la Junta y la comunidad. El resultado es un enfoque verdadero en la recuperacio?n de la pandemia, tanto en los impactos econo?micos como en la salud,” dijo el Funcionario Ejecutivo del Condado, Mike Powers. “El presupuesto tambie?n respalda el mantenimiento de servicios esenciales de salud, servicios sociales y de seguridad, el mantenimiento de calles y carreteras, e inversio?n en capital e infraestructura de informacio?n y tecnologi?a (IT, por sus siglas en ingles). Al mismo tiempo, el presupuesto aumenta apoyo en las a?reas que la Junta ha identificado como prioridades incluyendo la salud pu?blica, la salud mental, los servicios para las personas que enfrentan la falta de vivienda y la accio?n clima?tica.” Reconociendo la gran necesidad de apoyar a las personas sin hogar, el presupuesto incluye apoyo continuo para residencias que operan durante todo el an?o, asistencia ra?pida de realojo y asistencia de alquiler, alcance comunitario, la prevencio?n de la falta de vivienda, participacio?n de los propietarios, servicios para jo?venes y viviendas de apoyo permanente. Fondos estatales y federales adicionales tambie?n se esta?n revisando para apoyar la respuesta continua a las crisis y los recursos para viviendas permanentes. “Es sorprendente poder distribuir tantos recursos para ayudar a las personas en todos aspectos,” digo la presidenta de la Junta, Linda Parks. “Estoy muy contenta con la solidez de este presupuesto. Nuestras prioridades fueron integradas y puestas en pra?ctica y eso se traduce en servicios y apoyo para nuestras comunidades.” |
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El presupuesto tambie?n incluye la expansio?n de los servicios de la salud pu?blica, nuevos puestos en programas de desvio? de salud mental, aumento en la dotacio?n de personal y financiacio?n para el Programa de Recursos para Trabajadores Agri?colas, nuevos puestos para apoyar la diversidad, la equidad, la inclusio?n, y los esfuerzos de participacio?n comunitaria, entre otros. Respaldando los servicios de salud mental, el presupuesto incluye una contribucio?n del Fondo General para financiar la dotacio?n de personal para las siete camas psiquia?tricas restantes para pacientes hospitalizados en la Unidad Psiquia?trica del Centro Medico del Condado de Ventura. El aumento de fondos permitira? al condado agregar cuatro sillas adicionales a la Unidad de Estabilizacio?n de Crisis. Respaldando la sostenibilidad del medio ambiente, el presupuesto incluye fondos y personal para la implementacio?n del Plan de Accio?n Clima?tica. Este plan fue adoptado como parte del Plan General para evaluar poli?ticas y programas de reduccio?n de gases de efecto invernadero, aumento del nivel del mar y estrategias de adaptacio?n a los cambios clima?ticos que abordan las vulnerabilidades del condado al cambio clima?tico y aumentan la resiliencia a largo plazo del condado.
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