REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 6, 2025
FROM
SHARON NEVINS, Director, Department of Aging and Adult Services
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract with WISE and Healthy Aging for Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Amendment No. 2 to Contract No. 22-221 with WISE and Healthy Aging for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program to advocate for the rights of residents of long term care facilities, increasing the contract amount by $700,000, from $2,000,000 to $2,700,000, and extending the contract term for one year, for a total contract period of April 1, 2022 through June 30, 2026.
2. Authorize the Chief Executive Officer or the Director of the Department of Aging and Adult Services to approve and execute any non-substantive amendments to the contract in Recommendation No. 1, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Director of the Department of Aging and Adult Services to transmit any non-substantive amendments to the contract in Recommendation No. 1 to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Jamiko Bell, Interim Assistant Director, 891-3917)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The amended contract increase of $700,000 for the Long Term Care (LTC) Ombudsman Program is funded by a combination of ongoing state, federal and one time only funding sources as follows: State General Fund IIIB, State Public Health Licensing and Certification Fund, State Health Facilities Citation Penalties Account, State Skilled Nursing Facility Quality and Accountability Program, Federal Title IIIB, Federal Title VII, Federal Title VII Elder Abuse, Federal Title XX Elder Justice, and State American Rescue Plan Act funding. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Aging and Adult Services’ (DAAS) 2025-26 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The LTC Ombudsman Program is authorized under Title VII of the federal Older Americans Act of 1965 and works to resolve issues and concerns related to the health, safety, welfare, and rights of individuals who live in LTC facilities, such as nursing homes, board and care and assisted living facilities, and other residential care communities. The program is part of a statewide system of response and advocacy focused on residents of LTC facilities with an emphasis on receiving and resolving complaints from or on behalf of LTC residents.
LTC Ombudsman representatives assist residents in LTC facilities with issues including, but not limited to, violation of resident’s rights or dignity; physical, verbal, mental or fiscal abuse; poor quality of care; dietary concerns; medical care, therapy, and rehabilitation issues; Medicare and Medi-Cal benefit issues; improper transfer or discharge of a patient; inappropriate use of chemical or physical restraints, and more. Service delivery is primarily complaint resolution, which includes investigation and response by local certified Ombudsman representatives, consisting of paid staff and volunteers, designated to act on behalf of the State LTC Ombudsman. As an advocacy program, Ombudsman representatives also engage in activities including public information, elder abuse prevention education and training, and legislative advocacy.
The recommended amendment will extend the contract term an additional year to permit WISE and Healthy Aging to provide personnel management, including recruitment, training, and evaluation of paid and volunteer staff, to perform the required advocacy activities and deliver mandated services under the Ombudsman program. The program has been approved by the Office of the State LTC Ombudsman.
On March 29, 2022 (Item No. 4), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved Contract No. 22-221 with WISE and Healthy Aging for the LTC Ombudsman Program to be advocates for the rights of residents of LTC facilities, in the amount not to exceed $1,800,000 for the period of April 1, 2022 through June 30, 2024.
On May 21, 2024 (Item No. 8), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. 22-221 with WISE and Healthy Aging for the LTC Ombudsman Program to be advocates for the rights of residents of LTC facilities, updating the standard contract language, including Attachment D of the contract, increasing the contract amount by $200,000, from $1,800,000 to $2,000,000, and extending the contract term by one year, for a total contract term of April 1, 2022 through June 30, 2025.
Under the terms of the recommended amendment, 56 Skilled Nursing Facilities and 251 Residential Care Facilities for Seniors and Adults with Disabilities within the county will be visited quarterly. Additionally, 1,000 unduplicated clients will receive elder abuse prevention education and training annually.
County staff will continue to measure contractor performance, reviewing service data and expenditure reports monthly and conducting annual site visits to monitor compliance with all contractual requirements. DAAS will continue to work closely with the Office of the State LTC Ombudsman to ensure regulatory requirements are met. The contract may be terminated by the County immediately if funds are not available, and without cause by serving a written notice to WISE and Healthy Aging 30 days in advance of termination
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on April 1, 2025; Couty Counsel (Jacqueline Carey-Wilson, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 27, 2025; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on April 21, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on April 21, 2025.