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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 the Transitional Housing Program (THP) and Housing Navigation and Maintenance Program (HNMP) services provided by Whole Person Learning, Inc. (WPL) requires 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 Amendment II to Agreement for Services 8064 with WPL for THP services, increasing the amount of the Agreement by $26,605 for a new maximum obligation of $176,605, and extending the term for one year, for the amended term of four years and eight months, from October 13, 2023, through June 30, 2028;
4) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Amendment II to Agreement for Services 8075 with WPL for HNMP services, increasing the amount of the Agreement by $38,278 for a new maximum obligation of $187,992, and extending the term for one year, for the amended term of four years and seven months, from November 6, 2023, through June 30, 2028;
5) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute amendments relating to Agreements 8064 and 8075, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management, which do not increase the maximum dollar amount or term of the Agreements; and
6) Authorize the HHSA Director, or the Chief Assistant Director, to execute programmatic, administrative, and fiscal documents relating to Agreements 8064 and 8075.
FUNDING: 100% State of California Department of Housing and Community Development funding allocated for the THP and HNMP.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
HCD allocates funding to county Child Welfare Services (CWS) for the THP to provide supportive services to young adults between 18 and 24 years of age, to secure and maintain housing, with priority given to young adults in the foster care system. Use of THP funds may include but are not limited to: 1) identifying and assisting housing services for this population in the community; 2) assisting this population to secure and maintain housing; 3) improving coordination of services and linkages to community resources within the child welfare system and the Homelessness Continuum of Care; and 4) providing engagement in outreach and targeting to serve those with the most severe needs.
HCD also allocates funding to county CWS for the HNMP to provide housing navigators to help young adults between 18 and 24 years of age, with priority access given to young adults in the state's foster care system to help them secure and maintain housing. The HNMP funds housing navigators who act as housing specialists to assist young adults with their pursuits of locating available housing and overcoming barriers to locating housing. HNMP activities may include, but are not limited to: 1) assisting young adults secure and maintain housing, with priority access given to young adults in the state's foster care system; 2) providing housing case management which includes essential services in emergency supports to foster youth; 3) preventing young adults from becoming homeless; and 4) improving coordination of services and linkages to key resources across the community including those from within the child welfare system and the local Homelessness Continuum of Care.
Agreement 8064 with WPL was executed on October 13, 2023, by the Purchasing Agent (PA) for a maximum obligation of $50,000, and its Amendment I was approved by the Board on May 20, 2025 (Legistar file 25-0447). Agreement 8075 with WPL was executed by the PA on November 6, 2023, for a maximum obligation of $50,000, and its Amendment I was approved by the Board on May 20, 2025 (Legistar file 25-0447). Funding for these agreements was awarded by HCD to the County for prior rounds of THP (Round 5) and HNMP (Round 2) funding allocations (HCD Agreement no. 23-TAY-18144/County no. 8634) and THP (Round 6) and HNMP (Round 3) funding allocations (HCD Agreement 24-TAY-18534/County no. 9470). On October 21, 2025, HCD fully executed County-awarded Agreement 25-TAY-18784 (County no. 10027), which included additional County-allocated THP (Round 7) and HNMP (Round 3) funding rounds totaling $114,883 for the term of five years upon final execution, with the condition that the allocated THP and HNMP funding rounds had to be expended by June 30, 2028.
The Amendment II's to Agreements 8064 and 8075 are necessary to include the additional rounds of County-awarded THP/HNMP funding, with the term extensions for both amendments to align with HCD’s expenditure deadline. The HNMP monthly budget for Agreement 8075 is being amended to increase the maximum budget per participant for the Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) Voucher Direct Client Expenses and additional terms are being updated for Agreements 8064 and 8075 to align with current template language.
In accordance with Board Procurement Policy C-17, the contractor is exempt from competitive bidding, with Purchasing Agent concurrence, per Section 3.(2f), which states, 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. HHSA currently has clients utilizing WPL’s services. Continuity of services for these former foster youth and young adults formerly in probation is of utmost importance to ensure their path to self-sufficiency. HHSA recommends Board approval of these Amendment II to the Agreements to ensure continuity in these services.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve this recommendation, the Amendment II to Whole Person Learning Agreements 8064 for THP services and 8075 for HNMP services will not be executed. This would result in the agreements expiring on June 30, 2027. Subsequently, additional THP and HNMP funding allocated to County by HCD for these services may not be expended by the state’s expenditure deadline, and youth clients placed with Whole Person Learning would need to be transitioned to another service provider to ensure continuity of services, that would most likely result in a service lapse.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
05/20/2025, 25-0447, HHSA Whole Person Learning, Inc. 8064 Amendment I & 8075 Amendment I
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel, Human Resources and Risk Management have reviewed the amendments. The Auditor Controller was notified of these Amendments in accordance with Policy B-12.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with this agenda item. Sufficient appropriations were included in the FY 2025-26 Budget and FY 2026-27 Budget request, and will be included in future budgets for the term of the Agreement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS:
1) Clerk of the Board to obtain signature of Chair on one original Amendment II for Agreement 8064; and
2) Clerk of the Board to obtain signature of Chair on one original Amendment II for Agreement 8075.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
N/A
CONTACT:
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director, Health and Human Services Agency