Title
District Attorney's Office recommending the Board consider the following:
1) Make a finding in accordance with Procurement Policy C-17, Sections 3.4.2, 3.4.3, and 3.4.5, in which competitive bidding would produce no benefit to the County for the requested Psychotherapy Services;
2) Approve and authorize the Chair to execute Agreement 8197 with Wendy Barillas, Marriage & Family Therapy, A Professional Corporation in the not-to-exceed amount of $160,440 for the service period of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024; and
3) Approve and authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute any future amendments to agreement 8197, which do not increase the amount or the term of the agreement, contingent upon County Counsel approval.
FUNDING: California Governor's Office of Emergency Services Victims of Crime Act Victim Assistant Formula Grant Program funds.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND
On October 10, 2023, with Legistar item 23-1546, the Board approved the District Attorney’s acceptance of the California Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) Child Abuse Treatment (AT) Program in the amount of $321,875 for grant period January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024.
This will be the department’s fourth consecutive year participating in the AT Program. The program will continue to fund psychotherapy services to children victimized by abuse and/or neglect as one of its primary objectives. Over the past three years, the department has contracted Healthy Outcomes for Personal Enrichment Counseling Center (HOPE) to provide dedicated psychotherapy services. Since the program’s inception, HOPE’s clinical staff has been consistent in meeting with child victims and their families. Maintaining consistency and trust between clients and their therapists is crucial in the process of healing from victimization.
In September 2023, HOPE had informed the District Attorney’s Office of their projected dissolvement as an agency beginning January 1, 2024. As a solution to avoid any lapse in clinical services provided to existing and new victims, Wendy Barillas, LMFT opted to take on the services. Wendy was previously a clinician under HOPE Counseling and has been providing direct therapy services to victims under the AT Program. She has extensive knowledge of the program’s objectives, statistical reporting requirements, and has established trust with existing clients.
Due to the nature of the therapy services required under this program, the District Attorney’s Office is recommending an agreement with Wendy Barillas, Marriage & Family Therapy, A Professional Corporation be executed in the amount of $160,440 for the period of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2024. A waiver to the requirement for competitive bidding is being requested under the following exceptions: 3.4.2 - as the provider processes specialized skills and knowledge to provide necessary services; 3.4.3 - for there would be no economic value in initiating a bid as there are several grant requirements that must be met, including extensive background checks conducted on new clinicians; and section 3.4.5 - as the extension of the service agreement under a previous clinician with established relationships, skills, and knowledge would prove to be valuable in maintaining uninterrupted services for child victims and their families.
The billing rate for therapy services under proposed Agreement 8197 with Wendy Barillas, LMFT for psychotherapy services is $100 per hour for clinical services and $75 per hour for non-clinical services, such as participating in Multidisciplinary Interviews, meetings, and providing statistical reporting data as required by the grant. Additionally, the agreement allows for up to $3,000 in program-related training costs and $1,440 for cell phone stipend costs (to cover up to two clinicians). All contractor costs will be directly funded by the grant award.
ALTERNATIVES
Should the Board decline to approve and execute Agreement 8197 with Wendy Barillas, Marriage & Family Therapy, A Professional Corporation, the District Attorney's Office will need to find an alternative means in providing therapy services under the AT Program, which will result in interrupted victim therapy services.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION
10/10/2023 Legistar Item 23-1546: The Board approved the District Attorney’s acceptance of the AT Program for period January 1, 2024-December 31, 2024 in the project amount of $321,875.
09/27/2022 Legistar Item 22-1643: The Board approved the District Attorney’s acceptance of the AT Program for period January 1, 2023-December 31, 2023 in the project amount of $321,876 and approved the execution of Agreement 5316 Amendment III with HOPE Counseling for continued psychotherapy services.
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT
Procurement & Contracts and County Counsel
CAO RECOMMENDATION / COMMENTS
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
There is no change to Net County Cost associated with the execution of agreement 8197. It is anticipated the CalOES AT grant award will fund the agreement costs in full.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Upon approval, Clerk of the Board to obtain the Board Chair's signature on one copy of Agreement 8197 with Wendy Barillas, Marriage & Family Therapy, A Professional Corporation and return a certified copy to the Chief Administrative Office, Central Fiscal Unit, Attention: Justene Cline.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT
Public Safety
CONTACT
Vern Pierson, District Attorney