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Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Make findings that the provision of Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI) and Community Services and Supports (CSS) services provided by Contractors 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), El Dorado County Charter, Section 210(b)(6), and/or Government Code Section 31000;
2) Make findings in accordance with County’s Procurement Policy C-17, Section 3.4.2(f), exempting the competitive bidding process, with Purchasing Agent concurrence, for HHSA Agreement for Services 7657 because the provider of these services will provide efficiency and critical knowledge, including the possession of the required staff and facilities to deliver these services, and other providers of the services cannot provide similar efficiencies or critical knowledge;
3) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign Agreement for Services 7657 with Foothill Indian Education Alliance, Inc., to provide outreach and mental health services through the MHSA PEI Wennem Wadati: A Native Path to Healing Project, in the amount of $345,000 for the initial term effective upon execution through June 30, 2026, with the option to extend the term of the Agreement for one additional year for a term not to exceed June 30, 2027, for a total maximum obligation of $460,000;
4) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign, competitively procured, Agreement for Services 7867 with National Alliance of Mental Health (NAMI) El Dorado Western Slope and South Lake Tahoe, in support of the MHSA PEI Clubhouse El Dorado Project, for the provision of member driven mental health recovery services, and linkage to community services and outreach, in the amount of $900,000, for the initial term effective upon execution through June 30, 2026, with the option to extend the term of the Agreement for one additional year for a term not to exceed June 30, 2027, for a total maximum obligation of $1,200,000;
5) Approve and authorize the Chair to sign, competitively procured, Agreement for Services 7981 with New Morning Youth and Family Services, Inc., to administer mental health services under the MHSA PEI Community Stigma and Discrimination Reduction Project, in the amount of $300,000 for the initial term effective upon execution through June 30, 2026, with the option to extend the term of the Agreement for one additional year for a total term not to exceed June 30, 2027, and a total maximum obligation of $400,000;
6) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute amendments relating to Agreements 7657, 7981, and 7867, contingent upon approval by County Counsel and Risk Management, which do not increase the maximum dollar amounts or terms of the Agreements; and
7) Authorize the HHSA Director, HHSA Chief Assistant Director and HHSA Behavioral Health Director, to execute programmatic, administrative, and fiscal documents relating to these Agreements.
FUNDING: 100% State Mental Health Services Act.
Body
DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
In 2004, California voters passed Proposition 63, the MHSA, which imposes a one (1) percent tax on personal income in excess of $1,000,000. The funds from the tax are distributed to California counties and are intended to transform the Mental Health System into one that is consumer and family driven, recovery-oriented, accessible, culturally competent, and offers services appropriate for the population that is served.
MHSA requires counties to develop a three year program and expenditure plan, known as the MHSA Three-Year Program and Expenditure Plan (Plan). The Plan has five components intended to address specific goals for priority populations and other key community mental health needs. The components are Community Services and Supports (CSS), Prevention and Early Intervention (PEI), Innovation (INN), Workforce Education and Training (WET), and Capital Facilities and Technology Needs (CFTN).
In order to create a qualified list of contractors to provide the service components outlined in the MHSA Three-Year Plan for Fiscal Year (FY) 2023-24 through FY 2025-26, HHSA worked with the County’s Procurements and Contracts Division to develop a Request for Qualifications (RFQ) 23-952-052 for MHSA PEI and CSS services. This RFQ closed on April 3, 2023, and all responses were evaluated by a team of three (3) evaluators. On May 5, 2023, following the RFQ evaluation process, 12 service providers were added to the County’s qualified list for MHSA PEI services. Subsequently, following the RFQ award process, the Agreement with New Morning Youth and Family Services was negotiated and is being presented to the Board for execution.
On June 20, 2023, the Three-Year MHSA Plan FY 2023-24 through FY 2025-26 was approved and adopted by the Board (File ID: 23-0933). The provision of the MHSA services included in the agreements summarized below are included in the budgeted service components in this MHSA Plan:
a. Foothill Indian Education Alliance, Inc., through Agreement 7657, will deliver PEI services through the Wennem Waditi: A Native Path to Healing Project, which applies a combination of mental health services and traditional cultural teachings unique to the local American Indian community as a prevention and early intervention strategy.
b. NAMI, through Agreement 7867, will deliver PEI services to individuals experiencing mental health concerns through the Clubhouse El Dorado Project. Clubhouse El Dorado provides a restorative environment for individuals (called members) whose lives have been severely disrupted because of their mental illness and co-occurring disorders, and who would benefit from the support of others who are in recovery. These services align with the International Standards for Clubhouse Programs™ to provide supportive programs, education, and training as well as outreach, engagement, and linkage to alternative services.
c. New Morning Youth and Family Services, Inc., through Agreement 7981, will deliver PEI Community Stigma Reduction Project services to individuals experiencing sexual orientation and gender identity differences, to build an understanding through community involvement, to reduce shame, and support ending discrimination.
MHSA PEI services require a specialized skill set and critical knowledge to specific populations served which are not effectively remediated by a general provider in the field of mental health. Consequently, to ensure budgeted MHSA PEI services can be provided for the Native American Wennem Wadati Project, HHSA, in concurrence with the County Chief Administrative Office Contracts and Procurement Division, is requesting the Board approve the non-competitive bid exemption, per County’s Procurement Policy C-17, Section 3.4.2(f), for the following agreement, as Contractor possesses the qualified staffing and unique cultural qualifications to provide the services to the specified populations, in which no other vendor can provide similar efficiencies and critical knowledge: Foothill Indian Education Alliance, Inc., has specialized experience in providing traditional cultural teachings unique to the local Native American community. The Wennem Wadati Project services outlined in Agreement 7657 applies a combination of mental health services and traditional cultural teachings unique to the local Native American community. The project was designed to provide culturally specific Native American services through the use of Cultural Specialists, who are Native American community members working in a professional capacity that access unique cultural contexts and characteristics through the use of traditional Native American healing approaches. As these services are specifically for Native Americans, Foothill Indian Education Alliance is uniquely qualified to serve these individuals due to their expertise in Native American culture.
ALTERNATIVES: Should the Board decline to approve these recommendations, HHSA would continue to provide MHSA PEI services; however, HHSA will be out of compliance with the FY 2023-26 MHSA Plan, and California Proposition 63.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
1) 05/09/23, 23-0591, MHSA 2023-24 through FY 2025-26 MHSA Plan Presentation
2) 06/20/23, 23-0933, Adoption of FY 2023-24 - FY 2025-26 MHSA Three-Year Program and Expenditure Plan
OTHER DEPARTMENT / AGENCY INVOLVEMENT:
Approved by County Counsel, Human Resources, and Risk Management. Auditor was 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. These Agreement for Services will be funded with MHSA funding which has been included in the FY 2023-24 to FY 2025-26 adopted MHSA Plan. Sufficient appropriations were included in the Fiscal Year 2023-24 Budget for these services and will be included in future budgets for the terms of the Agreements.
CLERK OF THE BOARD FOLLOW UP ACTIONS
Clerk of the Board to obtain signature of Chair on the original Agreements for Services 7657, 7867, and 7981.
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
Improved health, well-being, and self-sufficiency of El Dorado County communities, residents, and visitors.
CONTACT
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director