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Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Make findings in accordance with County Ordinance 3.13.030 that it is appropriate to contract with Sierra Child and Family Services, Inc. for services provided under Agreement 6408 because (B) “Specialty skills and qualifications not expressly identified in classifications are involved in the performance of the work;”
2) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Agreement for Services 6408 with Sierra Child and Family Services, Inc., for the provision of First Episode Psychosis services in the amount of $571,854, for the term beginning May 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025; and
3) Authorize the Director of HHSA, or designee, to execute further documents relating to Agreement for Services 6408, including amendments which do not increase the maximum dollar amount or term of the Agreement, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management.
FUNDING: 100% Federal Funding: Mental Health Block Grant Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act & American Rescue Plan Act.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
The Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) is a recipient of Community Mental Health Services Block Grant (MHBG) funds via the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). On December 9, 2021, DHCS approved HHSA’s Behavioral Health Response and Rescue Project Supplemental County Application for the Community MHBG. The funding is broken out into the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA) and the American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA), each with its own total amounts approved with separate funding dates. Combined the total funding amount approved by DHCS is $835,232.
CRSAA and ARPA funding is available to support certain activities required or recommended by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Service Administration. Supported activities include, but are not limited to, providing services to adults and children with serious mental illness, promoting recovery, accountability, and treatment of co-occurring disorders. Other supported activities include First Episode Psychosis (FEP) services, Crisis Services, and Crisis Stabilization. ARPA also supports Assisted Outpatient Treatment services, improved information technology access, school-based services, and medication-assisted treatment services.
Since Fiscal Year 2014-15, HHSA has dedicated MHBG funding to provide Dialectical Behavior Therapy (DBT) and Transitional Age Youth FEP services in the El Dorado County high schools. DBT is an evidence-based psychotherapy approach used to treat many conditions, based on mindfulness skills, distress tolerance skills and emotional regulation. FEP refers to the initial symptoms of psychosis. When young people in this scenario can connect quickly with the right treatment, it can be life-changing and can radically improve the person’s future.
HHSA currently contracts with Sierra Child and Family Services, Inc. (SCFS) to provide these services via contract 5417, approved by the Board on June 29, 2019, and expiring June 30, 2022. Since 2005, SCFS has consistently proven itself as a very capable and cooperative community partner in providing mental health services in the community. The success of SCFS’ DBT and FEP programs on high school campuses has been supported by collaboration between SCFS and El Dorado County schools, resulting in dedicated space in the high schools to conduct mental health screenings and services to ensure easy access for eligible children and youth.
HHSA seeks to continue contracting with SCFS to provide valuable FEP services to the community in the proposed Agreement 6408, to be funded by the MHBG Supplemental funding as described above. The Early Diagnosis and Preventive Treatment Model (EDAPT) will be utilized. Clients will be identified either by County Behavioral Health or by SCFS’s staff for referral to the FEP program. SCFS shall utilize the Coordinated Specialty Care EDAPT model offered by University of California, Davis to strengthen and build programs and expertise to effectively meet the needs of these high risk, high need individuals and their families.
In accordance with Board of Supervisors Procurement Policy C-17, Section 7.11, the contractor selection process for service contracts in excess of $100,000 must include a review of the scope of services and contractor’s professional qualifications by a group of individuals (including at least one representative from outside the department requesting the services) qualified to judge the contractor’s ability to perform the services. HHSA has documentation on file that such a review was performed for Agreement 6408 with Sierra Child and Family Services, Inc.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve this recommendation, HHSA will be out-of-compliance with the DHCS approved Behavioral Health Response and Rescue Project (BHRRP) Supplemental County Application for the Community MHBG.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
06/29/21, 21-0002, HHSA Sierra Child & Family Services, Agreement 5417
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Approved by County Counsel, Human Resources, and Risk Management. The Auditor-Controller has been notified per Board Policy B-12.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with this Agenda item. This item will be funded with Mental Health Services Block Grant Supplemental funding and sufficient appropriations were included in the Fiscal Year 2021-22 Budget, and will be included in future budgets.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Clerk of the Board to obtain signature of Chair on one (1) original Agreements for Services 6408.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
County Strategic Plan, Healthy Communities goal, Objective 4: “Achieve better outcomes for children, young adult, and families in the areas of mental illness and substance abuse prevention.”
CONTACT
Don Semon, Director