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Health and Human Services Agency (HHSA) recommending the Board:
1) Make findings that the provision of emergency shelter care services provided by New Morning Youth and Family Services, Inc. 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 II to Agreement for Services 6372 with New Morning Youth and Family Services, Inc., increasing compensation by $74,181 for a new not-to-exceed amount of $150,000, with no change to the rates or term of the Agreement;
3) Authorize the Purchasing Agent to execute amendments relating to Agreement 6372, 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 Chief Assistant Director, to execute programmatic, administrative, and fiscal documents relating to Agreement 6372.
FUNDING: 28% Federal Funding including Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Foster Care (Title IV-E), Stephanie Tubbs Jones Child Welfare Services (CWS) Program (Title IV-B Subpart 1 of the Social Security Act), 72% County Realignment Funding
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DISCUSSION / BACKGROUND:
The County has the duty to provide protection in the form of emergency shelter care for certain children who have been taken into protective custody by HHSA Protective Services and whom County takes or accepts into its charge to ensure their safety and well-being. HHSA’s Child Welfare Services (CWS) program is responsible for the administration and provision of child welfare, which frequently involves the emergency removal of children/youth from an unsafe environment or situation, followed by court ordered foster placement to ensure their ongoing safety. In conformance with California Welfare and Institutions Code (WIC) 16500 et seq., CWS staff provide services that promote reunification of children and families being served through its program. Specific and specialized services are selected by CWS staff to assist clients and their families to overcome obstacles with the goal of improving the clients’ quality of life. CWS staff strive to ensure safe, permanent, and nurturing families for children/youth clients by protecting them from abuse and neglect, while attempting to preserve the family unit. HHSA CWS accomplishes this goal by evaluating and referring these clients to the services necessary to support families.
Since 2008, HHSA has contracted with New Morning Youth and Family Services, Inc., (NMYFS), to provide services to vulnerable child/youth clients. NMYFS has provided valuable resources to the families served by CWS. NMYFS is a local provider that serves children/youth ages 6-17, including those detained by the court; 18-year-olds prior to high school graduation; non-minor dependents as appropriate; and pregnant and parenting teens and their children. NMYFS also serves children ages 0-5 if they are being cared for by their minor parent while being cared for at its youth shelter. NMYFS is the only provider of 24-hour emergency youth shelter for homeless and runaway youth, that also provides trauma informed care and is licensed by the State of California as a Group Home in El Dorado County, which is known as the Ashby House Youth Shelter. The services provided by NMYFS are essential in assisting HHSA CWS staff meet their youth protection obligations. NMYFS also offers residential and professional support and services to children/youth including: psychotherapy; case management; aftercare follow up services; family reunification; warm meals; clothing; overnight and day long shelter and supervision; referrals and linkages to medical and dental care; educational support and case management; life skills development; and genuine relationships and strong mentoring modeling.
HHSA contracted for emergency shelter care services in the past with NMYFS via perpetual Agreement 918-S0811, effective May 9, 2008, until it was terminated on March 6, 2017 (File ID: 08-0713), due to the change in procedure for obtaining shelter care upon HHSA’s transition to use the State of California (State) 154 Group Home Agreement and State 154A Foster Family Agency Agreement (File ID: 13-0674). More recently, HHSA contracted with NMYFS through Agreement 4002, effective for the term of June 25, 2019, through June 24, 2022 (File ID: 19-0921). Subsequently, Agreement 6372 with NMYFS was executed for the term of June 25, 2022, through June 20, 2023, which was the renewal of Agreement 4002, to ensure continuity of the provision of emergency shelter care services. On May 1, 2023, the Purchasing Agent approved Amendment I to Agreement 6372, to extend the term of the Agreement for two additional years, through the term of June 24, 2025, and add additional standard articles. Amendment II to Agreement 4002 presented in this agenda item will increase the compensation by $74,181 for a new not-to-exceed amount of $150,000, with no change to the term. This additional funding is needed to ensure continuity of emergency shelter care services throughout the Agreement's term remainder.
HHSA recommends the Board approve of this Amendment II to Agreement 6372 to allow the continuation of these services in El Dorado County through the term of the Agreement, as NMYFS plays a large role in the HHSA CWS system of care.
ALTERNATIVES:
Should the Board decline to approve this recommendation, HHSA would have difficulty meeting the immediate needs of youth placed into the care of CWS and those youth struggling to maintain placements. Foster youth, and those at risk of foster care, will not have access to 24-hour safe shelter, food, care, education, advocacy, and healing that New Morning Youth and Family Services provides.
PRIOR BOARD ACTION:
1) 05/20/2008, 08-0713, Perpetual Group Home Agreements
2) 06/20/2017, 13-0674, HHSA FY 2017-2018 Perpetual Agreements
3) 06/25/2019, 19-0921, HHSA NMYFS Agreement 4002
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. 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 original Amendment II of Agreement #6372
STRATEGIC PLAN COMPONENT:
Healthy Communities
CONTACT:
Olivia Byron-Cooper, MPH, Director, Health and Human Services Agency