REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
December 3, 2024
FROM
JEANY ZEPEDA, Director, Children and Family Services
SUBJECT
Title
Amendments to Extend Contracts by One Year with Foster Family Agencies for Resource Family Approval Permanency Assessment Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 1 for the provision of Resource Family Approval Permanency Assessment Services, on a fee-for-service basis, updating the contract language and exercising the option to extend the contracts by one year, with no change to the aggregate contract amount not to exceed $2,700,000, for a total contract period of January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2025, to contracts with the following qualified Foster Family Agencies:
1. ABC Foster Family Agency, Contract No. 21-946.
2. Ark Homes Foster Family Agency, Contract No. 21-947.
3. Bright Horizons Foster Family Agency, Contract No. 21-948.
4. Building Bridges Foster Family Agency, Contract No. 21-949.
5. ChildNet Youth and Family Services, Inc., Contract No. 21-950.
6. Children’s Bureau of Southern California, Contract No. 21-951.
7. A Coming of Age to Adulthood, Inc., Contract No. 21-952.
8. Futuro Infantil Hispano Foster Family Agency, Contract No. 21-954.
9. Greater Hope Foundation for Children, Inc., Contract No. 21-955.
10. Greenhouse Family Services, Contract No. 21-956.
11. The Heart Matters Foster Family Agency, Contract No. 21-957.
12. Hermanitos Unidos - Siblings United Foster Family Agency, Contract No. 21-958.
13. Holy Family Services, Adoption & Foster Care, Contract No. 21-960.
14. Kamali’i Foster Family Agency, Inc., Contract No. 21-961.
15. Koinonia Foster Homes, Inc., Contract No. 21-962.
16. Litehouse Children & Family Services, Inc., Contract No. 21-963.
17. McKinley Children’s Center, dba McKinley, Contract No. 21-964.
18. A New Beginning Foster Family Agency, Contract No. 21-965.
19. New Life Foster Family Agency, Contract No. 21-966.
20. Ninos Latinos Unidos, Inc., Contract No. 21-967.
21. Seneca Family of Agencies, Contract No. 21-969.
22. Sibling Care Foster Family Agency, Contract No. 21-970.
23. A Tender Love and Care Foster Family Agency, Contract No. 21-971.
24. There is Hope Foster Family Agency, Contract No. 21-972.
25. Trinity Youth Services, Contract No. 21-973.
(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 require additional budgeted Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The total cost will not exceed $2,700,000, in aggregate, for the four-year contract period and is funded 30% ($810,000) by federal funding and 70% ($1,890,000) by Realignment 1991. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Human Services Administrative Claim 2024-25 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Children and Family Services (CFS) contracts with qualified Foster Family Agencies (FFA) to assist in the completion of the Resource Family Approval (RFA) application process. FFAs are licensed, private, nonprofit organizations engaged in recruiting, certifying, training, monitoring, and providing professional support to foster parents and identifying homes for the placement of children and youth.
Welfare and Institution Code section 16519.5 requires the California Department of Social Services (State), in conjunction with county child welfare agencies, to implement a unified RFA process. Current law requires the County to provide services to the family and child, so the child can return safely to the parents. The preferred route to permanency is through safe reunification, but when that is not possible, services must be provided for the child or youth to achieve an alternative permanent and stable family, which is referred to as a permanency. Reunification, guardianship, relative placement, and adoption are all forms of permanency.
Written directives received from the State require CFS to establish a single approval process for all types of placements. The RFA process requires a time limit of 90 days for the approval of applications. Currently, CFS receives approximately 80 applications per month. CFS has provided RFA Permanency Assessment Services through contracted agencies since 2017.
The 25 recommended contract amendments will revise definitions, contractor responsibilities, County responsibilities, and fiscal provisions. This updated language will aid both parties to best meet the needs of each client. The amendments will also add language regarding Russian Sanctions and Campaign Contribution disclosures, which were not included in the original contracts, but are now a part of the standard County contract. Finally, the amendments will exercise the first option to extend the contract for a one-year period for a new contract term date of January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2025.
CFS will monitor individual RFA Permanency Assessment referrals to ensure the total payments to all contractors combined do not exceed the spending authority of $2,700,000 in aggregate, for the period of January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2025. There is no guarantee of the number of referrals that will be provided under each of the awarded contracts.
Contractor performance will be monitored by reviewing monthly invoices and written reports to ensure compliance with the administrative, program, and fiscal terms and conditions of the recommended contracts.
PROCUREMENT
On December 14, 2021 (Item 25), as the result of a formal procurement, the Board of Supervisors approved 29 Contracts to provide Resource Family Approval Permanency Assessment Services, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $2,700,000, for the period of January 1, 2022, through December 31, 2024, with two, one-year extension options by mutual agreement of the parties.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on September 24, 2024; County Counsel (Daniella V. Henandez, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on October 16, 2024; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on November 13, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on November 14, 2024.