Title
Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign revenue Agreement 10189 with County of Yolo (Yolo), for County of El Dorado’s contracted provider to provide Specialty Mental Health Services to Yolo client(s), in the amount of $90,000 for the initial retroactive term of three years from July 1, 2025, through June 30, 2028, with an option to extend the Agreement for one additional year through June 30, 2029, for a total maximum not to exceed amount of $120,000 if extension is granted;
2) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute amendments relating to Agreement 10189, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management, which do not increase the maximum dollar amount or term of the Agreement; and
3) Authorize the HHSA Director, or the Chief Assistant Director, to execute programmatic, administrative, and fiscal documents relating to Agreement 10189.
FUNDING: 100% Federal Medi-Cal.
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
County Mental Health Plans (MHPs) are required to provide or arrange for the provision of SMHS for children and youth residing in their jurisdiction who meet eligibility criteria. Mandated SMHS may include placement at a Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP), if it is determined to be clinically necessary by a youth’s Child and Family Team. STRTPs are one of the highest-level placements available and are intended to serve youth in need of a level of care and supervision that cannot be provided safely in a family-based setting, but who are not in need of inpatient services.
Due to the limited number of STRTP beds available statewide, and because mandated SMHS is required to be delivered in accordance with timely access standards, eligible youth sometimes must be placed in a STRTP outside of their county of original jurisdiction. Pursuant to Behavioral Health Information Notice (BHIN) 24-025, counties are expected to establish contracts either directly with out-of-County (OOC) STRTP providers, or with other county MHPs, to facilitate the timely placement of qualified youth.
The need for Agreement 10189 with Yolo arose when Yolo MHP requested to place an eligible foster youth at Summitview Child and Family Services, Inc. (Summitview) STRTP, located in El Dorado County (EDC), which is the County’s contracted local provider for STRTP services. To be a good collaborative partner and foster a positive relationship with a fellow MHP, HHSA’s Behavioral Health Division (BHD), serving as the EDC MHP, agreed to contract with Yolo MHP to cover the qualified youth STRTP placement at Summitview that began in July 2025. Under Agreement 10189, qualified Yolo youth under the age of twenty-one (21) who need STRTP-level of care, as determined by Yolo’s placing agency, may receive services at Summitview. This Agreement will cover the Yolo youth already in care at Summitview, while also enabling further OOC admissions from Yolo, contingent upon approval by HHSA’s Behavioral Health Director. Through this proposed agreement, HHSA BHD will collect Medi-Cal revenue for the SMHS delivered to the Yolo youth receiving care at Summitview.
The delay in bringing this Agreement before the Board is primarily due to the ongoing administrative challenges associated with implementing new regulations required under Assembly Bill (AB) 1051 (2024). Pursuant to AB 1051, the fiscal responsibility for SMHS provided in an OOC STRTP shall remain with the youth’s county of original jurisdiction, rather than transferring to the county of residence. Consequently, AB 1051 resulted in the need for HHSA BHD to create an entirely new system for both placing and receiving youth who are OOC, and to establish an efficient contracting process that complies with applicable statutes and County’s contracting policy, both of which took longer than anticipated. As such, HHSA BHD is seeking a retroactive term on this revenue agreement to both maximize opportunities to generate SMHS Medi-Cal revenue, as well as to strengthen relationships with local providers and fellow county MHPs, while abiding by BHIN 24-025, ensuring timely placement of OOC youth.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve this recommendation, the youth will continue to receive services at Summitview, but HHSA will be unable to generate Medi-Cal revenue for the SMHS delivered during the youth’s placement.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
N/A
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
County Counsel and Risk Management.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with this agenda item. This revenue Agreement provides access to Medi-Cal reimbursement.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS:
Clerk of the Board to obtain signature of Chair on one original revenue Agreement 10189.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
N/A
CONTACT:
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director, Health and Human Services Agency