Title
Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Make findings that the provision of telephone exchange services provided by Inland Southern California 211+ 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 in accordance with El Dorado County Ordinance Code, Chapter 3.13.030(B);
2) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Amendment I to competitively bid Agreement for Services 6705 with Inland Southern California 211+ to increase the compensation by $350,000, for a total compensation amount of $450,000, and update standard contract article language, with no change to the rates or the term of April 10, 2023, through April 09, 2026;
3) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute amendments relating to Agreement for Services 6705, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management, which do not increase the maximum dollar amount or term of the Agreement; and
4) Authorize the HHSA Director, Chief Assistant Director, and Behavioral Health Director, to execute programmatic, administrative, and fiscal documents relating to Agreement for Services 6705.
FUNDING: 25% Federal Medicaid, 25% Behavioral Health Realignment, 25% Mental Health Services Act Funds and 25% State General Funds.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
The HHSA Adult Protective Services (APS), Child Welfare Services (CWS), Public Guardian, Public Health Division (PHD), Behavioral Health Division (BHD), including the BHD’s Substance Use Disorder (SUD) program, are mandated to provide 24-hour telephone answering and call transfer services under various Welfare and Institutions Codes. HHSA’s PHD is also mandated to provide 24-hour telephone answering and call transfer services under Health and Safety Code. The intent of the legislation is to provide an avenue for the community to contact these County programs any time of day or night. Additionally, 24-hour telephone answering and call transfer services are required to ensure constant access to the Public Guardian program and SUD services under the California Drug Medi-Cal Organized Delivery System.
On January 28, 2022, the Chief Administrative Office (CAO) Procurement and Contracts Division, on behalf of HHSA, released Request for Proposal (RFP) 22-915-030 to solicit providers for the mandated 24-hour telephone answering services. On May 17, 2022, as a result of the RFP evaluative process, the Board approved the award of this RFP to the qualified Proposer, IC211, for the provision of after-hours telephone exchange services to multiple HHSA programs, including APS, CWS, Public Guardian, PHD, BHD, and SUD programs (Legistar item 22-0777). Subsequently, Agreement 6705 with IC211 was executed by the Purchasing Agent, for the amount of $100,000 and for the term of April 10, 2023, through April 09, 2026.
IC211 is Alliance of Information and Referral Systems (AIRS) accredited, which is the only credential specifically geared to assess quality, compliance, and information exchange for information and referral service providers committed to improving access to human services. IC211 has operated its Contact Center since 2005 and has over 18 years of related experience in managing county/city government contracts for operating call lines for mandated and non-mandated Health and Human Services jurisdictions, serving both rural and urban populations. This includes operating call lines for Mandated Reporting of Child and Elder Abuse, Aging and Disabilities, and a vaccine hotline on behalf of a county-level public health department.
Upon assessing the call data over the first year of Agreement 6705 with IC211, HHSA discovered that its BHD programs, including the SUD program, utilized 32% more calls than any other HHSA program/division. Consequently, this call usage was in excess of HHSA’s initial estimated call volume and will result in the Agreement’s maximum obligation to be exceeded before its ending term date. HHSA’s analyzed data also confirmed the need for IC211 to provide 24/7 call services to BHD and SUD programs, that were not previously anticipated or included in the Agreement’s maximum obligation.
HHSA recommends the Board approve Amendment I to Agreement 6705, increasing compensation by $350,000 for a new total amount of $450,000, and updating the scope of work to include 24/7 calls for HHSA’s BHD and SUD programs. Approval of Amendment I will accommodate HHSA’s increased usage need for the IC211 services throughout the remainder of the Agreement’s term, and will ensure continuity of the mandated call answering services.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve this recommendation, HHSA would have insufficient capacity to meet mandate requirements for 24-hour telephone answering services.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
05/17/2022, 22-0777, RFP 22-915-030 awarded to Inland Southern California 211+ (Agreement 6705)
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Approved by County Counsel, Human Resources, and Risk Management. The Auditor-Controller has been notified in accordance with Policy B-12.
CAO RECOMMENDATION:
Approve as recommended.
FINANCIAL IMPACT:
There is no Net County Cost associated with this agenda item as this agreement is funded entirely by Federal Medicaid, Behavioral Health Realignment, and State funding. Sufficient appropriations are included in the Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 Budget and in the FY 2024-25 Budget request and will be included in subsequent fiscal year budget requests.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Clerk of the Board to obtain signature of Chair on one (1) original Amendment I to Agreement for Services 6705.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
N/A
CONTACT
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director