REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 23, 2024
FROM
JEANY ZEPEDA, Director, Children and Family Services
SUBJECT
Title
Amendments to Contracts for Clinical Licensure Supervision Program Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 2 to contracts with the following individuals, to provide Clinical Licensure Supervision Program services on a fee-for-service basis, exercising the option to extend the contracts for six months, with no change to the aggregate contract amount not to exceed $1,250,000, for a total contract period of July 1, 2020 through December 31, 2024:
1. Annette Weathington, Contract No. 20-371
2. Nosheen Samuel, Contract No. 20-379
3. Olivia Sevilla, Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Contract No. 20-380
(Presenter: Jeany Zepeda, Director, 387-2792)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
Pursue County Goals and Objectives by Working with Other Agencies and Stakeholders.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not require additional budgeted Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The total cost will not exceed an aggregate amount of $1,250,000 and is funded with 70% Federal and State ($875,000) and 30% local share ($375,000) through the Child Welfare Services allocation. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Human Services Administrative Claim 2023-24 budget and will be included in the 2024-25 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Children and Family Services (CFS) administers family-centered programs designed to prevent and treat child abuse and neglect and to strengthen and preserve families to ensure San Bernardino County children have access to safe and permanent homes. CFS is responsible for various programs including Child Protective Services, Adoptions, Foster Home Services, Independent Living Programs, Fostering Connections to Success Programs, and other related programs.
Licensed Clinical Social Workers (LCSW), Licensed Marriage and Family Therapists (LMFT), and Licensed Professional Clinical Counselors (LPCC) play a vital role in assisting CFS to meet its goals. These goals include the ongoing assessment of strengths and limitations with the training, education, and experience required by the California Board of Behavioral Sciences and the assurance of practice in accordance with the laws and regulations that govern LCSW, LMFT, or LPCC licensure. To develop a pool of therapists, CFS offers department social workers the opportunity to work toward clinical licensure through the Clinical Licensure Supervision Program (CLSP).
California laws governing LCSW, LMFT, and LPCC licensure require registered applicants to secure a minimum number of post-degree clinical supervision experience hours prior to qualifying for clinical licensure through CLSP. The recommended amendments will ensure that social workers continue to have the opportunity to obtain clinical licensure through CLSP.
CFS contracts with private LCSWs and LMFTs to supervise the clinical hours of social workers who register with the California Board of Behavioral Science as licensee applicants. Private LCSWs and LMFTs provide close, on-going supervision to ensure applicants obtain the required face-to-face and group clinical psychosocial diagnosis, assessment, treatment, psychotherapy, client-centered advocacy, consultation, evaluation, and research hours. Private LCSWs and LMFTs certify applicants in adherence to and in compliance with pertinent laws, rules, and regulations. CFS has maintained contracts for CLSP services since 1999.
The three recommended contract amendments will exercise the final option to extend the contract for a six-month period and ensure continuation of services while the department goes out for a new procurement. The contracts do not include a guaranteed minimum or maximum number of referrals, and contractors are paid on a fee-for-service basis. The contracts may be terminated by the County with 30-days written notice to the contractor.
County staff monitor contractor invoices at both the individual and aggregate levels to ensure total payments do not exceed the authorized amounts. Contractor performance is monitored by review of monthly reports and annual site visits by County staff to ensure compliance with the administrative, program, and fiscal terms and conditions of the contract.
PROCUREMENT
On June 9, 2020 (Item No. 19), as the result of a formal procurement, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved 11 contracts to provide CLSP services, in an amount not to exceed $750,000, for the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023, with two one-year extension options by mutual agreement of the parties.
On April 25, 2023 (Item No. 23), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to six contracts, updating insurance requirements and standard contract language, increasing the total not to exceed aggregate contract amount by $500,000, from $750,000 to $1,250,000, and extending the contracts by one year, for a total contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2024.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on January 9, 2024; County Counsel (Kaleigh Ragon, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on January 10, 2024; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on December 29, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on January 4, 2024.