Board actions, Aug. 19 – Welcome to San Bernardino County

A "San Bernardino County Board of Supervisors Meeting Actions" banner with five members standing in front of the County Government Center. — *A roundup of key actions taken by the Board of Supervisors on Tuesday.*

Board allocates discretionary funding to support various community initiatives

The Board of Supervisors approved more than $605,000 in discretionary funding to various organizations through the District Specific Priorities Program.

Funding allocations include:

$350,000 in combined funding—with $117,000 from First District Supervisor Col. Paul Cook (Ret.) and $233,000 from Second District Supervisor Jesse Armendarez — for The Rivers Edge Ranch expansion project. The funding will support facility improvements and provide housing, meals, and operational support for individuals in substance use disorder recovery, helping them transition to long-term independence.
Approximately $145,000 from Chairman and Third District Supervisor Dawn Rowe’s discretionary fund to the county’s Land Use Services Department for a contract with Raimi & Associates, Inc. to develop a Pioneertown overlay zone. This initiative will establish design and development standards for the historic Pioneertown district.
Approximately $100,000 from Vice Chair and Fifth District Supervisor Joe Baca, Jr.’s discretionary fund to the city of Colton for the purchase and outfitting of a new animal services vehicle for its police department. Colton will contribute at least 25% matching funds in accordance with county policy.
$10,000 from Supervisor Armendarez’s discretionary fund to the Rancho Cucamonga Chamber of Commerce to cover two years of Gold Sponsorship. The funding will support business visibility, community engagement, public safety outreach and Shop Local initiatives.

Mainstream Voucher Program agreement increases housing and supportive services

County Behavioral Health and the Housing Authority of the County of San Bernardino are entering into a non-financial memorandum of understanding (MOU) for the Mainstream Voucher Program from Sept. 1, 2025, through Aug. 31, 2030. The approximately 372 vouchers administered through the program will provide critical housing support for eligible individuals and families in need of housing. In addition, Behavioral Health will offer in-kind supportive behavioral health services to voucher recipients, including case management, employment assistance, life skills, mental health services and substance use disorder treatment services. The grant will also provide funding to develop housing for clients in substance use disorder and recovery services.

By providing vulnerable residents with housing, behavioral health and supportive services, the county is working towards achieving the Countywide Vision.

Grants expand behavioral health facilities and pilot opioid treatment through emergency medical services

The board approved the acceptance of two key grants supporting behavioral health infrastructure and substance use disorder treatment. First, County Behavioral Health will receive approximately $10.5 million from the California Department of Social Services’ Community Care Expansion – Capital Expansion Grant Program for the capital expansion of a comprehensive treatment campus in Victorville. This campus provides substance use disorder treatment and recovery services to eligible county residents, offering long-term care services to older adults and adults with disabilities.

Additionally, the Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency (ICEMA) will receive $75,000 from the Public Health Institute to continue implementing the Emergency Medical Services Buprenorphine Use Pilot Program through March 31, 2027. The pilot allows emergency medical service (EMS) providers to administer buprenorphine — used to counter opioid withdrawal —during emergency calls and links patients to long-term treatment. The funding will also support ongoing EMS training and data reporting to evaluate program outcomes.

By expanding access to behavioral health services and addressing the opioid crisis through innovative pilot programs, the county is furthering its goal of achieving the Countywide Vision.

Nutrition support contracts for seniors expand

To address the growing demand for senior nutrition services, the board approved contract amendments totaling over $7.4 million in funding from the Older Americans Act for the Older Adult Nutrition Program through June 2026.The awarded contracts are as follows:

$250,000 to the Barstow Senior Citizens Center
$175,000 to the city of Montclair
Approximately $7 million to the Family Service Association
Approximately $15,000 to the Lucerne Valley Senior Citizens Center

These contracts will enhance the county’s ability to reduce food insecurity among older adults, improve health outcomes and foster social connections.

Mutual aid agreement with Running Springs Water District

County Fire is entering into a non-financial mutual aid agreement with the Running Springs Water District through its Running Springs Fire Department for mutual assistance on fire, rescue and emergency response services through June 30, 2030. County Fire has numerous mutual aid agreements with local, state and federal agencies to reciprocally assist partner agencies by providing personnel, equipment, materials/supplies and other services, as needed, for fire suppression and/or during emergency incidents.

This collaboration enhances emergency response capabilities by leveraging a “closest resource” approach, which dispatches the closest and most appropriate fire unit regardless of jurisdiction. It allows fire and rescue resources to cross jurisdictional boundaries and provide equipment and firefighting apparatus that may not be available within the jurisdiction, ensuring faster and more efficient service during emergencies.

The partnership advances the Countywide Vision by working collaboratively to ensure that communities are safe, educated, and prepared to mitigate, respond to, and recover from man-made and natural threats to public safety of any scale.

Vocational training services at Victorville Federal Correctional Complex

The board approved a $325,000 contract between County Workforce Development and Victor Valley College to provide vocational training services and instructional materials for 100 eligible inmates of the Victorville Federal Correctional Complex through March 2026. Funded by the California Workforce Development Board’s Partners for Reentry Opportunities in Workforce Development program, the partnership will deliver training in high-demand fields on-site at the correctional complex, Victor Valley College’s High Desert Training Center, and its main campus, supporting the successful rehabilitation and reentry of clients.

This partnership for reentry services reflects the county’s commitment to equipping residents with supportive services to achieve self-sufficiency and aligns with the Countywide Vision.

Board renews internship program agreement with Walden University

The board approved a non-financial agreement with Walden University to allow the university’s nurse practitioner, nursing and social work students to complete internships with the Department of Behavioral Health through June 30, 2029. Interns will gain a wide range of clinical experience with adults, children and families in outpatient settings and work alongside Behavioral Health staff in triage and initial screening, crisis assessment and intervention, clinical assessment and diagnosis, individual group therapy, case management and complex care coordination.

Additional County Update News – August 21, 2025