REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 13, 2023
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. 4 to contracts with the following agencies to provide Emergency Childcare services, updating standard contract language, increasing the combined total by an amount not to exceed $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:
1. Child Care Resource Center, Inc., Contract No. 19-592, increasing the amount by $11,384,387, from $11,206,140 to $22,590,527.
2. Pomona Unified School District, Contract No. 19-593, increasing the amount by $2,748,435, from $3,514,855 to 6,263,290.
(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). The increase to the contracts in the amount of $14,132,822 is funded with the Emergency Bridge Child Care allocation, which includes Federal IV-E and State funds. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Human Services Administrative Claim 2022-23 budget and will be included in the Human Services Administrative Claim 2023-24 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Child Care Resource Center, Inc. (CCRC) and Pomona Unified School District (PUSD) collaborate with Children and Family Services (CFS) to provide emergency childcare services to eligible families, to increase the number of foster children successfully placed in home-based family care.
One of the primary barriers 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 who have experience trauma in the child welfare system.
The recommended contract amendments will continue CFS’ collaboration with CCRC and PUSD to extend the contract period of September 1, 2019 through June 30, 2024, in providing approximately 2,000 eligible families annually with a time-limited average payment or voucher of $800 monthly per family, at an estimated cost of $4,800 per client/family for six months’ childcare provided to 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 will receive support from a childcare navigator provided by one of the R&Rs. Childcare programs and providers serving children in the Bridge Program will also receive trauma-informed training. The California Child Care Resource and Referral Network develops and coordinates the training content to be used.
The recommended contract amendments also update the County’s general contract language to add contractor standards of behavior, a force majeure liability exclusion, and a clause to include California Executive Order N-6-22 regarding economic sanctions against Russia and Russian entities and individuals.
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 22, 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.
Contractor performance will be 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 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 invoice and attachments remitted by each contractor prior to payment. The County reserves the right to request additional program 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
No procurement was required because CCRC and PUSD are currently the only R&Rs contracted with the State to provide services in the County.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on May 5, 2023; County Counsel (Kaleigh Ragon, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 11, 2023; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on May 23, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on May 25, 2023.