REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
December 19, 2023
FROM
JACQUELYN GREENE, Director, Preschool Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Non-Financial Agreement with Loma Linda University for Student Internships
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve non-financial agreement, including non-standard terms, with Loma Linda University for student internships, for the period of January 1, 2024 through December 31, 2027.
(Presenter: Jacquelyn Greene, Director, 383-2005)
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
The recommended agreement is non-financial in nature and as such, does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Preschool Services Department (PSD) provides Head Start and State Preschool programs that include comprehensive child development and family services comprised of education, health, nutrition, parent involvement, and psychological services for children ages 0 to 5 and their families. The overall goal of these programs is to increase the health and school readiness of disadvantaged children and increase the self-sufficiency of low-income families. Head Start and State Preschool programs have been operating in San Bernardino County since 1965. Since 1999, PSD has provided these programs through a combination of direct and contracted services.
Under the terms of the recommended agreement, PSD will provide training and field experience to interns in programs including nutrition, nursing, marriage and family support services, and social work from the Loma Linda University School of Public Health (Loma Linda). PSD utilizes a Board of Supervisors (Board) approved student internship agreement template with several agencies countywide. Loma Linda University (LLU) requirements differ from the Board-approved template regarding indemnification; therefore, this agreement has been adjusted to meet its specific requirements. The agreement establishes the terms and conditions under which PSD will accept referred Loma Linda interns.
PSD employs qualified professionals who can provide the needed tutelage and guidance to interns participating in a variety of education programs. The Occupational Therapist student interns will teach children learning strategies to increase independence, social engagement, and life skills. Loma Linda internship programs will benefit from working with PSD’s population of over 3,000 children ages 0 to 5. These programs will allow interns the opportunity to acquire required field experience and degree-related internship hours by providing services in a mutually-beneficial manner. Additionally, the use of interns is a valuable means of maximizing available public resources.
Graduate level Social Work and Marriage and Family Therapist interns will assist families in setting goals and will follow up to assist in finding solutions to address challenges in meeting intended goals. The Nursing and Nutrition interns will study and provide data on the impact of first-hand and second-hand smoke on the unborn fetus as well as infants and toddlers.
Loma Linda University Children’s Health is a non-profit, self-insured entity. As such, LLU and its insurance requires certain terms and conditions that differ from the standard County contract. The non-standard items are:
1. Each party will indemnify and hold the other party harmless from and against any and all liability, loss, expense (including reasonable attorneys’ fees), or claims for injury or damages arising out of the performance of this agreement to the extent that the damage or loss is caused by actions of the indemnifying party.
• The County standard contract does not include any indemnification or defense by the County of a contractor.
• Potential Impact: By agreeing to indemnify LLU, the County could be contractually waiving the protection of sovereign immunity. Claims that may otherwise be barred against the County, time limited, or expense limited could be brought against LLU without such limitations and the County would be responsible to defend and reimburse LLU for costs, expenses, and damages.
2. The agreement does not require LLU to meet the County’s insurance standards as required pursuant to County Policy 11-07.
• County Policy requires contractors to carry appropriate insurance at limits and under conditions determined by the County’s Risk Management Department and set forth in the County standard contract.
• Potential Impact: The agreement does not include County standard insurance requirements. This means that the County has no assurance that LLU will be financially responsible for claims that may arise through this agreement, which could result in additional expenses to the County.
PSD recommends approval of the Agreement, including non-standard terms, which will allow PSD to provide training and field experience to LLU interns in education programs, including nutrition, nursing, marriage and family support services, and social work through internship services to children throughout the county.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Seven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on November 9, 2023; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 9, 2023; Risk Management (Victor Tordesillas, Director, 386-8623) on November 1, 2023; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on November 29, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0328) on December 4, 2023.