REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 11, 2024
FROM
JEANY ZEPEDA, Director, Children and Family Services
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contracts for Emergency Childcare Services for Foster Youth
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 5 to contracts with the following agencies for emergency childcare services, updating standard contract language, redistributing funds from one provider to another, and decreasing the combined contract total amount by $922,750 from $28,853,817 to $27,931,067, with no change to the contract period of September 1, 2019 through June 30, 2024:
1. Child Care Resource Center, Inc., Contract No. 19-592, decreasing the amount by $1,011,976, from $22,590,527 to $21,578,551.
2. Pomona Unified School District, Contract No. 19-593, increasing the amount by $89,226, from $6,263,290 to $6,352,516.
(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 impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). This program is funded with the Emergency Bridge Child Care allocation, which includes 100% federal and state funds. The state did not release its final 2023-24 allocation budget until the second quarter of the 2023-24 fiscal year. The allocation was 3.2% ($922,750) lower than Children and Family Services (CFS) anticipated. Adequate appropriation and revenue are included in the Human Services Administrative Claim 2023-24 budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Child Care Resource Center, Inc. (CCRC) and Pomona Unified School District (PUSD) collaborate with CFS to provide emergency childcare services to eligible families, in an effort to increase the number of foster children successfully placed in home-based family care.
A primary barrier to placing foster children with families is the lack of immediate access to childcare. The passage of California Senate Bill 89 (Chapter 24, Statutes of 2017) established the Emergency Childcare Bridge Program for Foster Children (Bridge Program). Counties participating in the Bridge Program are required to enter into a contract with the local Child Care Resource and Referral Programs (R&R) to provide a childcare navigator for families and trauma-informed care training and coaching services. CCRC and PUSD are currently the only R&Rs contracted with the State to provide services in San Bernardino County. CCRC and PUSD both employ a childcare navigator and trauma-informed care trainer. The navigators work with the families to obtain childcare that meets their needs. The trauma-informed care trainer provides comprehensive training to childcare providers, equipping them with the knowledge and skills to create a safe and supportive environment for children in the child welfare system who have experienced trauma.
CFS’ collaboration with CCRC and PUSD provides approximately 2,000 eligible families an annual time-limited average payment or voucher of $800 monthly per family, at an estimated cost of $4,800 per client/family, for six months of childcare for children ages 0 through 12 years. Initial referrals are for a six- month period but may be extended for an additional six months. Additionally, families receive support from a childcare navigator provided by one of the R&Rs. Childcare programs and providers serving children in the Bridge Program also receive trauma-informed training. The California Child Care Resource and Referral Network develops and coordinates the training content used.
The recommended contract amendments will adjust (reduce) the total program budget to be consistent with the State’s final Bridge Program allocation of $27,931,067 for the period of September 1, 2019 through June 30, 2024. The entire net reduction of $922,750 is being reduced from CCRC’s budget. Additionally, CFS is redistributing an additional $89,226 from CCRC’s budget to PUSD’s budget based upon their relative fiscal year-to-date expenditures. The amendment for CCRC also updates the County’s general contract language to include Campaign Contribution Disclosure Senate Bill (SB 1439) information.
On August 20, 2019 (Item No. 23), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved Contract No. 19-592 with CCRC, and Contract No. 19-593 with PUSD to provide emergency childcare services in a combined amount not to exceed $3,289,078, for the period of September 1, 2019 through August 31, 2020.
On August 11, 2020 (Item No. 17), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to the contracts, increasing the total combined contract amount by $3,289,078, from $3,289,078 to $6,578,156, and extending the contracts an additional year through August 31, 2021.
On August 24, 2021 (Item No. 18), the Board approved Amendment No. 2 to the contracts, increasing the total combined contract amount by $3,578,515, from $6,578,156 to $10,156,671, and extending the contracts an additional 10 months through June 30, 2022, to match the funding fiscal year.
On June 14, 2022 (Item No. 20), the Board approved Amendment No. 3 to the contracts, increasing the total combined contract amount by $4,564,324, from $10,156,671 to $14,720,995, and extending the contracts an additional year through June 30, 2023.
On June 13, 2023 (Item No. 29), the Board approved Amendment No. 4 to the contracts, increasing the total combined contract amount by $14,132,822, from $14,720,995 to $28,853,817, and extending the contracts for an additional year, for the total contract period of September 1, 2019 through June 30, 2024.
Contractor performance is monitored by review of monthly reports and an annual site visit to ensure compliance with the administrative, program, and fiscal terms and conditions of the contract. Each contractor will cooperate with the County in the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of these contracts and comply with all reporting requirements established by the contracts. Contractor charges must be for services provided to eligible beneficiaries under this funded program. CFS Budget and Administrative Services will review the invoices and attachments remitted by each contractor prior to payment. The County reserves the right to request additional programs and/or fiscal reports to facilitate this monthly review. The contracts may be terminated without cause by the County with 30 days' written notice.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Service Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on March 11, 2024; County Counsel (Kaleigh Ragon, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 22, 2024; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on May 21, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-0238) on May 23, 2024.