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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 adolescent Psychiatric Health Facility, Community Treatment Facility, and Specialty Mental Health Services provided by Star View Behavioral Health, Inc. doing business as Star View Adolescent Center, Inc. (Star View) 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 Agreement for Services 10188 with Star View, in the amount of $630,000, and for the retroactive one year term of December 1, 2025, through November 30, 2026, with the option to extend the Agreement for an additional six months through May 31, 2027, and add another $165,000 for a total maximum obligation of $795,000, if that option is exercised;
4) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute amendments relating to Agreement 10188, 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 10188.
FUNDING: 74% Federal Medi-Cal and 26% Realignment.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
On behalf of the County of El Dorado (County), HHSA’s Behavioral Health Division (BH) contracts with the State of California (State) to serve as the County's Mental Health Plan (MHP). MHPs are required to provide, or arrange for, Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS) for children and youth residing in their jurisdiction who meet the eligibility criteria defined in California Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) Section 14184.402. Per California Code of Regulations (CCR) Title 9 Section 1810.247 and 1810.345, mandated SMHS includes placement at a Psychiatric Health Facility (PHF) or Community Treatment Facility (CTF) when determined to be medically necessary.
Star View, located in Los Angeles County, is a dual-licensed PHF and CTF which specializes in serving adolescents with significant emotional and behavioral challenges. It is one of the only programs of its kind within the State and serves the highest acuity youth, including those that have already experienced multiple residential placement disruptions. Star View provides a secure, structured, and multidisciplinary treatment setting that includes acute inpatient psychiatric care, intensive residential mental health services, and educational support. The program is designed to stabilize youth in crisis, support family engagement, and ultimately transition youth to less restrictive placements as part of a long-term permanency plan.
On October 8, 2025, in anticipation of a fully executed agreement, the Purchasing Agent executed Letter of Intent (LOI) 9900 to authorize PHF, CTF, and other SMHS services at Star View for a County youth determined in need of a PHF-level of care by their assigned Child and Family Team. Due to the intensive nature of the mental health services provided at Star View for this County client, the maximum obligation of LOI 9900 (set at the Purchasing Agent’s maximum of $80,858) was exceeded by mid-December 2025. Staff started the contracting process with Star View immediately following execution of the LOI, however, as the complex services required a deep dive into SMHS compliance, documentation, and billing practices, the contract development process has taken six months for both parties to agree on this final contract. Consequently, as the client continued to need the mandated services after the maximum obligation of the LOI was exceeded, HHSA recommends the Board approve Agreement 10188 with a retroactive term to allow Star View reimbursement of services rendered to the County client.
In accordance with Board Procurement Policy C-17, Star View is exempt from competitive bidding, with Purchasing Agent concurrence, per Section 3.4, (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.”
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve this recommendation, HHSA will not have a mechanism for reimbursing Star View for the legally required SMHS provided to this client, which may result in displacement of the youth and put the County at risk for non-compliance with WIC Section 14184.402 and CCR Title 9 Section 1910.345.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel, Human Resources, and Risk Management. The Auditor Controller was notified of this Agreement 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 Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 budget and FY 2026-27 Budget and will be included in future budgets for the terms of the Agreement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS:
Clerk of the Board to obtain signature of Chair on one original Agreement for Services 10188.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
N/A
CONTACT:
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director, Health and Human Services Agency