REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 1, 2022
FROM
BRADLEY GATES, Interim Director, Workforce Development Department
SUBJECT
Title
Revenue Agreement for Pilot Homeless Transitional Employment Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve Revenue Agreement with the California Workforce Association in the amount of $87,000 for pilot Homeless Transitional Employment Program services, for a term of March 1, 2022 to February 28, 2023.
2. Authorize the Director of Workforce Development Department to execute the Revenue Agreement and any non-substantive amendments thereto, subject to review by County Counsel.
3. Direct the Director of Workforce Development Department to transmit the Revenue Agreement and amendments to the Clerk of the Board of Supervisors within 30 days of execution.
(Presenter: Bradley Gates, Interim Director, 387-9862)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Create, Maintain and Grow Jobs and Economic Value in the County.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Workforce Development Department (WDD) will receive $87,000 from the California Workforce Association (CWA) Foundation to create a pilot Homeless Transitional Employment Program (HTEP) for the homeless and those individuals at risk of homelessness in San Bernardino County. Adequate appropriation and revenue are included in the Workforce Development Department’s (WDD) 2021-22 budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
CWA strives to enhance and inspire California’s local workforce development boards and their partners through strategic advocacy, partnership convening and capacity building. The CWA Foundation was awarded a grant from the Anthem Blue Cross Foundation to evaluate workforce strategies that help to improve outcomes in the determinant of health for homeless individuals. CWA partnered with the Sacramento local workforce development board - Sacramento Employment and Training Agency (SETA), in which CWA was able to supplement SETA’s existing homeless services program, where participants broadly received a mix of case management, pre-employment, referral, job placement and retention services.
CWA proposes to expand its HTEP currently operating in Sacramento County, to a second pilot site in San Bernardino County. Like the Sacramento pilot, the San Bernardino project will be a partnership of CWA and the San Bernardino County Workforce Development Board (WDB). The pilot will provide employment services for homeless and those individuals at risk of homelessness in San Bernardino County, connecting these services with the mental health and housing providers in the area. CWA will closely track and analyze results, contacting WDD on a quarterly basis, for the year long pilot, and actively disseminate lessons learned to California’s other 44 local workforce boards.
The WDD welcomes this pilot as an opportunity to build a fuller partnership with the County’s Office of Homeless Services (OHS) as well as the County’s Homeless Provider Network. WDD will collaborate with OHS’ Homeless Emergency Aid Program contractors, to obtain referrals from the OHS contractors to HTEP eligible individuals, for WDD to provide HTEP services to 20 job-ready homeless and those individuals at risk of homelessness in San Bernardino County. WDD will utilize the grant funds through providing in-house services to participants such as pre-employment skills workshops; job placement and retention assistance. These funds will also reimburse businesses who employ and provide on-the-job training to individuals eligible under HTEP.
The proposed Revenue Agreement is CWA’s standard services agreement, which includes terms that differ from the standard San Bernardino County (County) contract and omits certain County standard contract terms. The non-standard and missing terms include the following:
1. The Revenue Agreement does not require CWA to indemnify the County.
• The County’s standard contract indemnity provision requires CWA to indemnify, defend, and hold County harmless from claims arising out of the acts, errors or omissions of any person.
• Potential Impact: CWA is not required to defend, indemnify or hold the County harmless from any claims. If the County is sued for any claim, the County may be solely liable for the costs of defense and damages, which could exceed the total Revenue Agreement amount.
2. The Revenue Agreement requires the County to indemnify CWA for claims arising from the County’s activities under the Revenue Agreement.
• The County standard contract does not include any indemnification or defense by the County of a Contractor.
• Potential Impact: The County could potentially have to indemnify CWA in the event it is sued due to County activities related to the Revenue Agreement. By agreeing to indemnify CWA, the County would be responsible to defend and reimburse CWA for costs, expenses and damages, which could exceed the total Revenue Agreement amount.
WDD recommends approval of the Revenue Agreement with CWA, including the non-standard terms, as the funding provided through the Revenue Agreement would benefit the County homeless and housing those individuals at risk of homelessness.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Sophie A. Akins, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on January 14, 2022; Office of Homeless Services (Tom Hernandez, Chief of Homeless Services, 386-8297) on February 1, 2022; Finance (Kathleen Gonzalez, Administrative Analyst, 387-5412) on February 10, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on February 11, 2022.