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Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Make findings that the provision of Child Welfare Services substance use assessments and treatment services provided by Contractor 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 III to Agreement for Services 5989 with Shamanic Living Center, Inc., doing business as Recovery In Action, increasing compensation by $100,000, to increase the maximum obligation from $150,000 to $250,000, and revising the scope of work to include updated service provisions, with no change to the term;
3) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute further amendments relating to Agreement 5989, 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, or the Assistant Director of Protective Services, to execute programmatic, administrative, and fiscal documents relating to Agreement 5989.
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 Sections 16501-16508, HHSA Child Welfare Services (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.
HHSA CWS currently utilizes Shamanic Living Center, Inc., dba Recovery In Action (RIA) to provide services under Agreement 5989 to clients who do not qualify for services through their private insurance which includes: case management, attendance of court meetings and court appearances, group/individual counseling, initial visits and alcohol/other drug (AOD) assessments, multidisciplinary team meeting appearances, and substance use testing. This Provider works collaboratively with 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.
On November 8, 2021, the Agreement for Services 5989 with RIA was executed in the amount of $75,819, for the term of execution through October 31, 2024. On November 15, 2022, Amendment I to this Agreement was approved by the Board of Supervisors to increase compensation from $75,819 to $150,000, to compensate for the increased demand of substance use assessments and the newly added ethyl glucuronide (ETG) testing service, and to update the rates for testing services, with no increase to the term (File ID 22-1548). On March 24, 2023, Amendment II to this Agreement was executed to revise the scope of work to include new Fentanyl and 5-panel drug testing, and update Article III, Compensation for Services.
Due to the current increased demand for substance use assessments and treatment services in the County, Amendment III is necessary to increase the previously amended not-to-exceed amount of $150,000 by $100,000 for a new maximum obligation of $250,000, and to revise ARTICLE I, Scope of Services - Authorizations for Service(s). There is no change to the term of the Agreement. When this agreement was first executed, HHSA contracted with multiple vendors for substance use assessments, but currently RIA is the only contracted vendor that provides these services on the West Slope of El Dorado County, which has increased the use of this agreement and necessitates the increase to the maximum obligation.
Without this Amendment III to Agreement 5989, 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. HHSA recommends the Board approves of this Amendment III to ensure continuity of these mandated substance use testing services.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve this Amendment III of Agreement for Services 5989 with RIA, HHSA would fail to meet the substance use testing needs of CWS clients.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
11/15/22 Legistar item 22-1548, approval of Amendment I.
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 General Fund associated with this Agenda item. Sufficient appropriations were included in the Fiscal Year 2023-24 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 (1) original Amendment III of Agreement for Services 5989.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
Healthy Communities
CONTACT
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Interim Director, Health and Human Services Agency