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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 therapeutic counseling services provided by The Center for Violence-Free Relationships (The Center) requires specialty skills and qualifications not expressly identified in County classifications;
2) Make findings in accordance with Procurement Policy C-17 Section 3.4(2f) to exempt the Agreement for Services 10003 from 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 10003 with The Center, in the amount of $200,000 and for the term of three years from April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2029;
4) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute amendments relating to Agreement 10003, 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 and the Chief Assistant Director to execute programmatic, administrative, and fiscal documents relating to Agreement 10003.
FUNDING: 32% Federal Funding including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program (Title IV-B), Foster Care (Title IV-E), 48% County Realignment Funding, and 20% Office of Child Abuse Prevention (OCAP) Funding.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
HHSA Child Welfare Services (CWS) is required to provide services to promote family reunification for children and families, pursuant to California Welfare and Institutions Code Sections 16501-16508. Such services are designed to promote the well-being of children by ensuring safety, achieving permanency, and strengthening families to successfully care for their children.
HHSA maintains agreements with vendors for the provision of therapeutic counseling and related services to ensure the capacity and immediate availability of crucial services to support CWS family reunification. This ensures that CWS clients can be referred by their case worker on an "as needed" basis to receive necessary, and often court-mandated services from the most appropriate and conveniently located provider. The choice of provider is based upon the specific needs of each individual HHSA client.
The Center is one of the many vendors in the area providing therapeutic counseling services; they are one of the few providers in the Country that specializes in the area of domestic violence. The Center works collaboratively with CWS staff to assist clients with addressing their trauma and other issues via therapy and other services with the goal of family reunification and/or safely maintaining children in the home.
In accordance with Board of Supervisors Procurement Policy C-17, the contractor 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." HHSA recommends Board approval as the proposed Agreement would ensure continuation of necessary therapeutic counseling services for CWS clients.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve this recommendation, the courts could find a lack of reasonable efforts conducted by the County for family reunification cases, which could result in children remaining in foster care for longer periods, further delaying family reunification. CWS would fail to meet the therapeutic counseling and related service needs of CWS clients and may disrupt continuity of care for clients currently receiving services from this vendor.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
01/23/2018, 17-1270, The Center for Violence-Free Relationships 401-S1710
02/25/2020, 20-0034, HHSA The Center for Violence-Free Relationships 4584
03/14/23, 22-1832, HHSA 22-1832 Therapeutic Counseling 6973
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel, Human Resources, 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 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 10003.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
N/A
CONTACT:
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director, Health and Human Services Agency