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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 provision of Child Welfare Services (CWS) substance use assessments and treatment services provided by Shamanic Living Center, Inc. are in the public's best interest and that there are specialty skills, qualifications, and equipment not expressly identified in County classifications involved in the performance of the work;
2) Make findings in accordance with Procurement Policy C-17, Section 3.4, 2(f), exempting the competitive bidding process for Agreement for Services 8676, 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 goods cannot provide similar efficiencies or critical knowledge”;
3) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Agreement for Services 8676 with Shamanic Living Center, Inc., doing business as Recovery In Action (RIA), in the amount of $250,000, and for the term of three years from November 1, 2024, through October 31, 2027;
4) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute further amendments relating to Agreement 8676, which do not increase the maximum dollar amount or term of the Agreement, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management; and
5) Authorize the HHSA Director, Chief Assistant Director, or the Assistant Director of Protective Services, to execute programmatic, administrative, and fiscal documents relating to Agreement 8676.
FUNDING: 28% Federal Funding including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services Program (Title IV-B), Foster Care (Title IV-E), and 72% State funded County Realignment.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
Pursuant to California Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) Sections 16501-16508, HHSA CWS is required to provide services to promote family reunification for children and families. 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 multiple vendors for the provision of substance use treatment centers to ensure 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 County currently contracts with RIA for the provision of substance use assessments and treatment services to CWS clients through Agreement 5989, which was executed by the Purchasing Agent for the term of November 8, 2021, through October 31, 2024, with Amendment I approved by the Board on November 15, 2022, and its Amendment III approved by the Board on August 29, 2023 (Legistar files 22-1548, 23-1535). RIA provides services to CWS clients to include: case management/care coordination, attendance of court meetings and court appearances, Child and Family Team (CFT) or Multidisciplinary Team (MDT) meetings, group/individual counseling, initial alcohol and other drug (AOD) assessments, substance use testing, and recovery housing. RIA works collaboratively with HHSA CWS staff to assist clients with addressing their substance use issues with the goal of family reunification and/or safely maintaining children in the home. The frequency of services is based on the results of the AOD assessment.
To ensure continuity of said services, HHSA is proposing to renew these services under Agreement 8676 to enable RIA to continue to serve CWS clients who do not qualify for services through their private insurance. HHSA recommends the Board approve Agreement 8676 to ensure continuation of necessary substance abuse treatment services without any service interruption.
In accordance with Board of Supervisors Procurement Policy C-17, this agreement with RIA is exempt from competitive bidding, with Purchasing Agent concurrence, per Section 3.4, 2. (f) which states, “the procurement is for services where the continuity of providers will provide efficiency or critical knowledge, and other providers of the goods cannot provide similar efficiencies or critical knowledge.” Currently, RIA is the only provider on the West Slope of El Dorado County willing to contract with and provide substance use/alcohol and other drug assessments for HHSA CWS, therefore, it is not possible to obtain competitive bids.
ALTERNATIVES:
HHSA recommends the Board approves of this renewal Agreement 8676 to ensure continuity of these mandated substance use testing services. 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. In addition, there could be a negative fiscal impact due to the inability to claim federal dollars for those families impacted by the lack of County substance use testing and outpatient services.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
1) 11/15/22, 22-1548, HHSA Recovery in Action, 5989 A1
2) 08/29/23, 23-1535, HHSA C#5989 A3 Recovery In Action
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Approved by 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. Sufficient appropriations were included in the 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 original Agreements for Services 8676.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
N/A
CONTACT
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director, Health and Human Services Agency