REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 19, 2020
FROM
MARLENE HAGEN, Director, Children and Family Services
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Non-Financial Memorandum of Understanding with Family Assistance Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 1, effective May 20, 2020, to Non-Financial Memorandum of Understanding (Agreement No. 19-305) with Family Assistance Program to provide shelter services to commercially sexually exploited children, updating standard contract language, with no change to the contract period of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2024.
(Presenter: Marlene Hagen, Director, 388-0242)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item is non-financial in nature and has no impact on Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The recommended amendment to the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) will allow Children and Family Services (CFS) additional time to facilitate a placement change, if necessary, for a victim of commercial sexual exploitation.
Assembly Bill 2247 (AB 2247), Chapter 674, Statutes of 2018, requires that prior to making a change in the placement of a dependent child, a social worker or placing agency develops and implements a placement preservation strategy to preserve the dependent child’s placement, and if a placement change is necessary, would further require a social worker or placing agency to provide 14 days prior notice of the change. This legislation supersedes the prior 7-day notice requirement for providers and child welfare agencies. The commercially sexually exploited children (CSEC) population requires specialized care, and a safe, structured environment in order to cope and heal from their traumatic experiences. AB 2247 aims to prevent children or youth from experiencing unnecessary or abrupt placement changes that negatively impact their well-being or sense of security.
CFS is committed to ensuring that youth who experience commercial sexual exploitation are identified within its programs and receive appropriate services and support. Under this MOU, Family Assistance Program (FAP) will continue to provide 24-hour residential care, supervision, and comprehensive services to work with the unique and various challenges associated with the CSEC population. CFS will collaborate with FAP to offer victims of sexual exploitation shelter and support services in a healthy and safe environment. FAP can provide for the CSEC population’s physical safety while also addressing their emotional health in order to help participants make better decisions, identify permanent and healthy solutions, and grow in a nurturing environment. Through this collaboration, CFS hopes to reduce the chance that the CSEC population served will be victimized again.
On May 21, 2019 (Item No. 43), the Board of Supervisors approved non-financial MOU (Agreement No. 19-305) with FAP to provide shelter services to commercially sexually exploited children for the period of July 1, 2019 through June 30, 2024.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Jennifer Mulhall-Daudel, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on April 15, 2020; County Counsel (Michael Markel, Principal Assistant County Counsel, 387-5455) on April 22, 2020; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on April 29, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Tanya Bratton, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on May 5, 2020.