REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
April 8, 2025
FROM
JOSHUA DUGAS, Director, Department of Public Health
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract with Faculty Physicians and Surgeons of LLUSM dba Loma Linda University Faculty Medical Group for Physician Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. 24-1129 with Faculty Physicians and Surgeons of LLUSM dba Loma Linda University Faculty Medical Group, for continued physician services for the California Children’s Services program, adding a definition of a Paneled Physician as being one who is an orthopedist, physiatrist or pediatrician, and revising the scope of work, with no change to the contract amount of $671,448 or the contract period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027.
2. Authorize the Director of the Department of Public Health to accept and execute any subsequent non-substantive amendments to Contract No. 24-1129, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Director of the Department of Public Health to transmit all non-substantive amendments to Contract No. 24-1129 to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Joshua Dugas, Director, 387-9146)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Ensure Development of a Well-Planned, Balanced, and Sustainable County.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. 24-1129 does not change the contract amount of $671,448. The amount of $671,448 for physician services is funded by Medi-Cal, 1991 Realignment funding, and currently budgeted Discretionary General Funding. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Public Health’s (DPH) 2024-25 recommended budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DPH provides services under the California Children’s Services (CCS) program, which is administered as a partnership between county health departments and the California Department of Health Care Services. The CCS program includes diagnostic and treatment care, medical case management, and physical and occupational therapy for children under the age of 21 who have a CCS qualifying disability whose families are unable to pay for all or part of their care. CCS qualifying disabilities include cystic fibrosis, hemophilia, cerebral palsy, heart disease, and cancer, among others.
DPH has contracted with Faculty Physicians and Surgeons of LLUSM dba Loma Linda University Faculty Medical Group (LLUSM) for over 20 years for the provision of the CCS program. As required under the CCS program, service and care providers must have collaborative conferences to develop a comprehensive and coordinated treatment plan that is based on an individual’s diagnosis and needs. As part of these conferences, a Paneled Physician must be part of the conference team. Approximately 1,332 CCS patients annually are provided collaborative conferences, which are based on medical need and CCS regulation, which determines if and how often these conferences are required.
On November 19, 2024 (Item No. 37), the Board of Supervisors approved the non-competitive Contract No. 24-1129 (Contract), including non-standard terms, with LLUSM for physician services, in the amount not to exceed $671,448, for the period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2027.
LLUSM has a longstanding history of providing extensive expertise in pediatric healthcare and is well established with the CCS patient population, as well as understanding the distinctive and complex conditions of the children in the program. LLUSM is uniquely suited to provide comprehensive treatment plans and conferences as mandated by regulation.
DPH recommends the approval of Amendment No. 1 to the Contract to add a definition of a Paneled Physician as being one who is an orthopedist, physiatrist, or pediatrician, and revising the scope of work, as the collaboration with LLUSM will ensure LLUSM has the necessary flexibility to keep an experienced physician in the role of Conference Physician and continues to provide for the health and management of CCS qualifying children in San Bernardino County.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 11, 2025; Finance (Iliana Rodriguez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4205) on March 24, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on March 24, 2025.