REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 26, 2024
FROM
GEORGINA YOSHIOKA, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Contract with Telecare Corporation for Assertive Community Treatment Team Case Management Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Contract with Telecare Corporation for the provision of Assertive Community Treatment Team case management services, in the amount of $7,431,600, for the period of April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2029.
(Presenter: Georgina Yoshioka, Director, 252-5142)
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 recommended contract for $7,431,600 with Telecare for Assertive Community Treatment (ACT) Team case management services is funded by the Mental Health Services Act and Federal Financial Participation Medi-Cal. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been 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 substance use disorder (SUD) services to county residents experiencing severe mental illness and SUD. Since 2002, DBH has contracted with service providers for an ACT Team to implement the Recovery Model in the delivery of mental health services. The goal of the Recovery Model is to rehabilitate clients with severe mental health disorders to live rewarding and productive lives without the need for higher level of care. The focus of this model is case management services that will move clients towards less restrictive levels of care in the community.
The ACT Team provides intensive case management services including treatment, rehabilitation, and support to DBH adult clients who are severely mentally ill. The ACT Team transitions these adults from acute adult psychiatric hospitals and locked adult psychiatric residential facilities to placements in the community supported by 24 hours a day, seven days a week intensive case management services. Upon approval of the recommended contract with Telecare Corporation (Telecare), DBH anticipates ACT Team services will be provided to approximately 75 clients annually at an estimated cost of $19,817 per client over the contract period countywide.
ACT Team delivers a unified team concept in which multiple team members with a diversity of professional skills address each client’s behavioral health and community support needs in a comprehensive manner. In addition to case management, the ACT Team performs intake and assessment services, referral services, client advocacy, medication evaluation, psychiatric support, and individual and group counseling.
The ACT Team service delivery affords the flexibility to increase service intensity and allows for as much face-to-face contact as is necessary to assist and/or provide treatment. The goal of the ACT Team is to promote improved functioning in the community and to eliminate re-admissions to acute psychiatric hospitals and locked adult psychiatric residential facilities.
PROCUREMENT
On December 7, 2023, the County Administrative Office approved and authorized the release of Request for Proposals (RFP) No. DBHE24-ADMN-5205 through the County’s Electronic Procurement Network (ePro), to solicit interested and qualified organizations and agencies to provide countywide ACT Team case management services, for the period of April 1, 2024 through March 31, 2029. The RFP was publicly advertised through direct mailings to more than 500 community-based organizations, educational providers, service providers and other interested parties; and advertised in local newspapers
Two agencies attended the proposal conference held on December 14, 2023. One proposal was received from Telecare in response to the RFP by the established deadline for services countywide. The proposal met the minimum qualifications and continued in the evaluation process.
The evaluation committee, comprised of three DBH staff, reviewed and evaluated the proposal based on criteria referenced in the RFP, including but not limited to: ability to serve target population, ability to provide required services, ability to perform outcome measures, ability to serve the number of unduplicated participants indicated, ability to provide specified services by contract start date, experience in providing services described in RFP, staffing levels and requirements, appropriate facility location to proposed service area, availability of transportation, and facility layout (in geographic service option/area; near mass transit; facility layout; etc.), and ability to provide required services in the specified geographic area. As there was only one proposal received, no independent reviewers were utilized.
Based on the evaluation results, Telecare is recommended for the contract award for countywide ACT Team case management services for the period of April 1, 2024, through March 31, 2029. Telecare’s proposal indicated that they will provide the most adequate and appropriate services, and will be ready to provide services countywide for the number of participants required, by the contract start date.
DBH program staff will monitor contract performance on a regular basis to ensure performance and compliance standards are met by reviewing monthly reports, reviewing client progress, as well as completing an annual program review. Provider invoices will be reviewed and approved by DBH program staff to ensure client counts are accurate prior to being forwarded to DBH fiscal staff for payment processing. DBH program staff will meet quarterly with the Telecare administrative team to discuss services, outcomes, goals and strategies for improvement as needed. DBH fiscal staff will verify signatures and service costs prior to issuing payment for provider invoices.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health (Ellayna Hoatson, Contracts Supervisor, 388-0858) on February 29, 2024; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 4, 2024; Finance (Christopher Lange, Administrative Analyst, 388-8393) on March 8, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on March 11, 2024.