REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
August 22, 2023
FROM
GEORGINA YOSHIOKA, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract with VARP, Inc. for Substance Use Disorder and Recovery Services Recovery Residences
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 2 to Contract No. 21-188 with VARP, Inc., for Substance Use Disorder and Recovery Services Recovery Residences, updating contract language and increasing the amount by $77,000, from $452,025 to $529,025, with no change to the contract period of April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2026.
(Presenter: Georgina Yoshioka, Director, 252-5142)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
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 of $77,000 for Substance Use Disorder and Recovery Services (SUDRS) Recovery Residences (RR) will be funded by the Substance Abuse Prevention and Treatment Block Grant, California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids, and Assembly Bill 109 Public Safety Realignment. Adequate appropriation and revenue are included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2023-24 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DBH is responsible for providing mental health and/or substance use disorder services to county residents who are experiencing major mental illness and/or substance use disorders. DBH- SUDRS provides a full range of Substance Use Disorder (SUD) prevention, treatment services and education for communities and residents in county through contracts with community-based organizations and County-operated clinics with the goal of promoting prevention, intervention, recovery and resiliency for individuals and families.
DBH-SUDRS RR provides county residents with housing units in a sober living environment for adult clients and adult clients with children. The goal of the program is to provide a secure environment for the individual/family while assisting the adult client to transition into permanent housing and integrate back into the community as a productive member through the use of educational programs, including assistance with employment searches. Attendance in recovery and/or treatment services is mandatory while the client resides in RR.
Clients at RR are free to participate in self-help meetings and any other activities. Activities at the facility are supervised within a substance-free environment, with trained staff available 24 hours a day/seven days a week to offer activities and services to assist in maintaining a substance-free lifestyle. All facilities must meet the required standards and maintain certification with the California Consortium of Addiction Programs and Professionals, which is an affiliate of the National Alliance of Recovery Residences.
DBH anticipates that VARP, Inc. (VARP) will provide approximately 1,000 bed days at an average bed day rate of $77, an increase from $58, for the duration of the contract period. The rate increase is the result of a re-negotiation with the contract provider due to the rising costs related to inflation. The amendment will also update standard contract language inclusive of Executive Order N-6-22 - Russia and Campaign Contribution Disclosures (Senate Bill 1439).
DBH will continue to monitor contractor performance on a regular basis to ensure compliance standards are met. Contract monitoring is inclusive of, but not limited to, site visits and assessments of policy, procedures, process implementation, and service delivery components to ensure compliance with contract and applicable laws and regulations. The fiscal review ensures costs claimed are reasonable, allowable and in compliance with related financial records and procedures. Additionally, as needed and appropriate, a review of Medi-Cal certification, related standards, and chart documentation may be completed.
PROCUREMENT
On March 9, 2021 (Item No. 9), as a result of a formal procurement, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved Contract No. 21-188 with VARP in the amount of $422,640, for SUDRS RR, for the period of April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2026.
On September 27, 2022 (Item No. 21), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. 21-188 with VARP, increasing the funding by $29,385 from $422,640 to $452,025, with no change to the contract period. The increase in funding was the result of funds received from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act supplemental grant.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Ellayna Hoatson, Contracts Supervisor, 388-0858) on July 20, 2023; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on July 31, 2023; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on August 3, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on August 7, 2023.