REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
May 20, 2025
FROM
TRACY REECE, Chief Probation Officer, Probation Department
SUBJECT
Title
Purchase Orders with West Covina Foster Family Agency, also known as Casa Esperanza Treatment Center, for Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Authorize Purchasing Agent to issue purchase orders to West Covina Foster Family Agency, also known as Casa Esperanza Treatment Center, for Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program Services, in the aggregate not to exceed amount of $824,350, for the period of June 23, 2025 through April 24, 2026.
(Presenter: Tracy Reece, Chief Probation Officer, 387-5692)
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
Approval of this item will not result in the use of additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). West Covina Foster Family Agency, also known as Casa Esperanza Treatment Center (Casa Esperanza), offers Short Term Residential Therapeutic Program (STRTP) Model of Care (IMC) individualized services at a rate of $49,734 per month, per youth, for no more than two youth per facility. Probation’s portion of Casa Esperanza IMC is subject to Youth progression, for the purpose of the purchase orders, the Probation Department (Probation) assumes both Casa Esperanza youth slots are needed for up to 10 months to address the needs of one youth under its jurisdiction (Youth), at $99,468 per month. The Transitional Assistance Department (TAD) would fund the standard STRTP rate of $17,033 per month. This is funded within the Foster Care Budget existing County Local share, which consists of Net County Cost and Realignment funding. The remaining amount of $82,435 per month would be funded by Probation with existing Youth Offender Block Grant dollars. Actual purchase order amounts may vary subject to the Youth’s progression. Adequate appropriation will be included in TAD and Probation’s 2025-26 recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Probation is responsible for the safety and well-being of the youth housed at the Central Valley Juvenile Detention and Assessment Center (Central Valley). On January 10, 2025 the Youth was placed in the custody of Probation. While at Central Valley, and despite Probation efforts to support the Youth’s improvement, the Youth has continued to struggle with his mental health, and his behavior has been increasingly regressing.
On April 8, 2025, the Youth was transported to Loma Linda Behavioral Health Hospital for a Welfare and Institutions Code 5585 hold and assessment. He was admitted April 9, 2025. The Youth has been referred to 12 STRTP but was rejected by 11 of them for behavioral issues. Casa Esperanza is willing to welcome the Youth.
Casa Esperanza IMC short-term intensive care services are approved by the State of California Human Services Agency for families with Dependent Children-Foster Care Program.
On April 24, 2025, the Youth was placed at Casa Esperanza, following his release from the Loma Linda Behavioral Health Hospital.
Probation anticipates the Youth will require IMC individualized services for an approximate period of three months. Although Casa Esperanza has a maximum capacity of two youth per house, as a precautionary measure, Probation will pay for double capacity to ensure the Youth will be the only resident at Casa Esperanza. Probation and Casa Esperanza will reassess the Youth on a monthly basis to determine if the Youth is ready to step down to an advanced or standard STRTP treatment level and be placed with other youth.
Probation recommends approval of this item to ensure continued specialized STRTP IMC services and compliance with mandated service requirements.
PROCUREMENT
On April 24, 2025, the Purchasing Department (Purchasing) executed a non-competitive Letter of Agreement for the Youth to be placed at Casa Esperanza for a period of two months for a not to exceed amount of $164,870 under Contract No. 4400028175 to pay for services provided from April 24, 2025 through June 23, 2025, pending Board of Supervisors approval for continued services through April 24, 2026 and funding in excess of $200,000. Purchasing continues to support this non-competitive procurement based on government mandated requirements to provide for the safety and well-being of the Youth.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Jolena Grider, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on April 25, 2025; Purchasing (Ariel Gill, Supervising Buyer, 387-2070) on April 25, 2025; Finance (Iliana Rodriguez, Administrative Analyst, 387-4205, and John Hallen, Principal Administrative Analyst, 387-0208) on April 30, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Valerie Clay, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on April 30, 2025.