REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
April 9, 2024
FROM
JEANY ZEPEDA, Director, Children and Family Services
SUBJECT
Title
Contract with Walden Environment Inc., dba Walden Family Services for Transitional Housing Program-Plus Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Contract with Walden Environment Inc., dba Walden Family Services to provide Transitional Housing Program-Plus services to young adults formerly in foster care, in an amount not to exceed $1,100,000, for the period April 10, 2024 through June 30, 2025.
(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 total cost of $1,100,000 is funded with existing County local share, which may include Discretionary General Funding, 1991 Realignment, and 2011 Realignment. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Human Services (HS) Administrative Claim 2023-24 budget and will be included in the 2024-25 Recommended Budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Transitional Housing Program-Plus (THP-Plus) is a state funded transitional housing program created in 2001 to address the housing and support services needs of individuals who left foster care on or after their 18th birthday. The program provides planning and supportive services, as well as safe and adequate residences to enable individuals to become self-sufficient. Children and Family Services (CFS) has provided these services since 2007 through contracted vendors.
The California 2023-24 State Budget made additional funding available for the THP-Plus program and requires services be provided for a maximum of 36 months, or up to age 25, with no educational or vocational enrollment requirements for the young adult. This was an increase in the service year maximum from two years to three and a one-year extension of the age qualification from youth ages 18 to 24 to ages 18 to 25. The increased demand for THP-Plus services has surpassed the current vendor’s capacity and resulted in a waiting list of at least eight qualified youth.
The proposed new contract with Walden Environment Inc., dba Walden Family Services (Walden) will allow CFS to provide the needed services to approximately 31 additional qualified youth awaiting placement in the program until a new Request for Proposals (RFP) can be released and new vendor(s) chosen to provide the services. THP-Plus services include 24-hour crisis intervention and support, educational advocacy and support, assistance to pursue college or other post-high school training, allowance to purchase food and other necessities, apartment furnishings, system of payment for utilities, telephone, and rent; mentoring, and safe and adequate residences, defined as Scattered-site and Host Family Model housing. Scattered-site housing are apartments supervised by Walden in various locations throughout the county, which allow young adult tenants to be integrated into their communities. The Host Family Model allows young adults to live in a family setting with a relative, current foster family, or other consistent caring adult.
Walden’s performance will be monitored by review of monthly reports and annual audits to ensure compliance with the administrative, program, and fiscal terms and conditions of the contract. Walden Family Services has agreed to cooperate with the County in monitoring and evaluation of this contract and comply with all reporting requirements established by the contract. Walden’s charges are for services provided to eligible beneficiaries under this funded program. CFS Budget and Administrative Services division reviews invoices and attachments remitted by Walden prior to payment. The County reserves the right to request additional program and/or fiscal documentation to facilitate this monthly review. The contract may be terminated without cause by the County with 30 days’ written notice.
PROCUREMENT
On December 18, 2019, the Chief Executive Officer approved and authorized for release an RFP to solicit proposals from interested and qualified agencies to provide THP-Plus Services. Approximately 200 prospective proposers with experience providing transitional and permanent housing and supportive services were notified via the County’s Electronic Procurement System and through direct mail.
On or before February 12, 2020, the proposal submission deadline, HS received six proposals in response to RFP No. HSSA24-HSSA-3579, as follows:
|
Agency |
Proposed Region(s) |
Proposed Total Cost |
|
Aspiranet |
All Regions |
$2,581 Scattered $2,222 Host |
|
Walden Environment Inc., dba Walden Family Services |
All Regions |
$2,569 Scattered $2,081 Host |
|
The Heart Matters FFA |
All Regions |
$2,614 Scattered $2,273 Host |
|
Greater Hope Foundation for Children |
All Regions |
$2,540 Scattered $2,340 Host |
|
Mental Health Systems |
All Regions |
$5,139 Scattered |
|
Citadel Community Development Corporation |
All Regions |
$3,445 Scattered |
A team that included representatives from CFS, HS Auditing, and the HS Program Development Division completed an evaluation of the proposals. Proposals were evaluated on the following criteria: cost, youth to be served, ability to provide services, experience providing services, available staffing and resources, and geographical region/service area served. Aspiranet and Walden, respectively, ranked the highest and second highest overall by the evaluators due to their ability to provide services, serve all referred youth, experience providing services, available staffing and resources, and geographical regions/service areas. Based on the criteria, Aspiranet was awarded the contract and is still providing THP Plus Services.
There is an immediate and growing need for additional THP Plus Services beyond the capacity of Aspiranet. Walden has the experience and capacity to fulfill that need therefore, CFS recommends adding Walden as a second vendor for the program. Due to the immediate need for services, CFS recommends granting a contract to Walden for the period of April 10, 2024 through June 30, 2025, which is the end of the term allowable through the 2019 Procurement. A new RFP will be released in 2024 for the contract period beginning July 1, 2025.
The Purchasing Department has reviewed and concurs with this recommendation.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on February 15, 2024; County Counsel (Kaleigh Ragon, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 11, 2024; Purchasing (Christina Reddix, Buyer, 387-2098) on February 21, 2024; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on March 22, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on March 22, 2024.