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Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Make findings pursuant to Section 3.13.030 (B) of the El Dorado County Ordinance Chapter 3.13, Contracting Out, that specialty skills and qualifications not expressly identified in County classifications are involved in the performance of the work;
2) Make findings in accordance with Procurement Policy C-17 Section 3.4(2f) exempting the competitive bidding process, with Purchasing Agent concurrence, because the procurement is for services where the continuity of providers will provide efficiency or critical knowledge, and other providers of the services cannot provide similar efficiencies or critical knowledge;
3) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Agreement for Services 8073 with Willow Glen Care Center to provide inpatient residential treatment, in the amount of $4,200,000 and for the term of four years from January 1, 2025, through December 31, 2028, with the option to extend the term for one additional year through December 31, 2029, for a total term not to exceed five years;
4) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute amendments relating to Agreement 8073, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management, which do not increase the maximum dollar amount or term of the Agreement; and
5) Authorize the HHSA Director, or the Chief Assistant Director, to execute programmatic, administrative, and fiscal documents relating to Agreement 8073.
FUNDING: 95% State of California (State) Behavioral Health Realignment and 5% Federal Medi-Cal.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
HHSA’s Behavioral Health Division (BHD) serves as the El Dorado County Mental Health Plan (MHP) and operates under rules set forth by the state and federal government. As the MHP, HHSA is required to provide Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS) to eligible individuals, including long-term residential facility placements when appropriate. To meet this requirement, the MHP contracts with providers of inpatient residential treatment facilities to ensure availability of services on an "as requested" basis in accordance with Title 9 and Title 22 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR) and Division 5, Chapter 5 of the California Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC).
Willow Glen is licensed by the state to provide long-term, inpatient residential services to adults with serious mental illness. Operating multiple locations throughout Northern California, Willow Glen provides continuous supervision and serves multiple levels of care. Willow Glen’s services are designed to assist eligible clients, ages 18 or older, in the development of skills to become more self-sufficient and to move towards increasing levels of independent functioning, with the ultimate goal of community reintegration.
HHSA has contracted with Willow Glen since 2011. HHSA’s BHD and Public Guardian clients, who meet criteria for SMHS as established by WIC Section 14184.402, may be referred to Willow Glen to receive residential services outlined in proposed Agreement 8073. This proposed Agreement with Willow Glen is a renewal of Agreement 3422 originally approved by the Board on December 4, 2018 (Legistar file 18-1549). Amendments I through III updated several provisions, including Program Summaries, Scope of Services, and standard contract articles, all of which received approval from the Purchasing Agent. Amendment IV increased the maximum obligation of the agreement and was approved by the Board on August 15, 2023 (Legistar file 23-1283). Proposed Agreement 8073 will ensure continuation of necessary residential treatment services without any service interruption.
In accordance with Board of Supervisors Procurement Policy C-17, HHSA recommends this agreement be exempt from competitive bidding, with Purchasing Agent concurrence, per Section 3.4(2f) as "the procurement is for services where the continuity of providers will provide efficiency or critical knowledge, and other providers of the services cannot provide similar efficiencies or critical knowledge." Because the need for these services in El Dorado County far outweighs the availability of beds, HHSA contracts with as many qualified vendors as possible to provide psychiatric care to Medi-Cal beneficiaries residing in El Dorado County. HHSA seeks to maintain existing residential contracts in place to ensure client/clinician continuity of care.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve this recommendation, the continuity of care for the HHSA clients currently placed at a Willow Glen facility would be significantly disrupted. HHSA would continue to provide inpatient residential treatment services through existing contracts, however, it would have diminished capacity to provide mandated services required of the MHP.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
1) 12/04/18, 18-1549, HHSA #3422 Willow Glen Care Center
2) 08/15/23, 23-1283, HHSA Amendment IV to Agreement 3422
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel, Human Resources, and Risk Management. The Auditor Controller has been notified per Policy B-12.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with this agenda item as funding is provided through State funded Behavioral Health Realignment and Federal/State funded Medi-Cal. Sufficient appropriations have been included in HHSA’s Fiscal Year 2024-25 Budget and will be included in future budgets for the term of the Agreement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Clerk of the Board to obtain signature of Chair on one (1) original Agreement for Services 8073.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
N/A
CONTACT
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director, Health and Human Services Agency