REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 12, 2024
FROM
GEORGINA YOSHIOKA, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contracts for Substance Use Disorder and Recovery Services Recovery Residences
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendments to the following contracts for Substance Use Disorder and Recovery Services Recovery Residences, updating standard contract language and increasing the total amount by $496,500 from $1,372,589 to $1,869,089, with no change to the contract period of April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2026:
1. Inland Valley Recovery Services, Amendment No. 3 to Contract No. 21-185, increasing the total contract amount by $193,500 from $629,385 to $822,885.
2. New Hope Village, Inc., Amendment No. 2 to Contract No. 21-186, increasing the total contract amount by $72,000 from $214,179 to $286,179.
3. VARP, Inc., Amendment No. 3 to Contract No. 21-188, increasing the total contract amount by $231,000 from $529,025 to $760,025.
(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 $496,500 for Substance Use Disorder and Recovery Services (SUDRS) Recovery Residences (RR) will be funded by the Behavioral Health Bridge Housing (BHBH) Program grant award administered through the California Department of Health Care Services (DHCS). 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 severe mental illness and/or substance use disorders. DBH-SUDRS provides a full range of substance use disorder prevention, treatment services and education for communities and residents in the 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 the 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.
On December 5, 2023 (Item No. 21), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the Subcontractor Agreement, Agreement No. 23-1285, with Advocates for Human Potential, Inc., on behalf of the DHCS, for the BHBH Program grant funding to be used to address the immediate housing needs of people experiencing homelessness who have serious behavioral health conditions, including substance use disorder. These amendments will utilize BHBH grant funds, to increase the funding and number of beds available to County clients needing RR and includes language regarding BHBH staff training, funding limitations and data submission requirements.
This increase of funds will allow Inland Valley Recovery Services (IVRS) to increase its capacity by six beds, increasing the bed days from 2,190 bed days per fiscal year to 4,380; New Hope Village, Inc. (New Hope) to increase its capacity by six beds, increasing the bed days from 2,190 bed days per fiscal year to 4,380; and VARP, Inc. (VARP) to increase its capacity by four beds, increasing the bed days from 1,460 bed days per fiscal year to 2,920. Additional beds are needed in order to reduce the current waiting list of clients in need of a stable environment while going through recovery services.
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, a review of Medi-Cal certification, related standards, and chart documentation may be completed, as needed and appropriate.
PROCUREMENT
On March 9, 2021 (Item No. 9), as a result of a formal procurement, the Board approved Contract No. 21-185 with IVRS in the amount of $600,000; Contract No. 21-186 with New Hope in the amount of $175,000 and 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 August 10, 2021 (Item No. 15), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. 21-185 with IVRS adding one facility location and removing one facility location with no change to the contract amount of $600,000 or the contract period of April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2026.
On September 27, 2022 (Item No. 21), the Board approved Amendment No. 2 to Contract No. 21-185 with IVRS increasing the funding by $29,385 from $600,000 to $629,385; Amendment No 1 to Contract No. 21-186 with New Hope increasing the amount by $39,179 from $175,000 to $214,179; and 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 of April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2026. The increase in funding was the result of funds received from the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act supplemental grant.
On August 22, 2023 (Item No. 21), the Board approved Amendment No. 2 to Contract No. 21-188 with VARP increasing the funding by $77,000 from $452,025 to $529,025 with no change to the contract period of April 1, 2021 through March 31, 2026. The increase in funding was the result of an increase to the bed day rate from $58 to $77 per bed day.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Ellayna Hoatson, Contracts Supervisor, 388-0858) on February 20, 2024; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on February 21, 2024; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 386-8393) on February 21, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on February 26, 2024.