REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 25, 2024
FROM
SHANNON D. DICUS, Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator
SUBJECT
Title
Non-Financial Agreement with Loma Linda University for Student Internship Practicum Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve non-financial Agreement with Loma Linda University, School of Behavioral Health, including a non-standard term, for a Student Clinical Internship Practicum program to provide students with experience in adult education programming at the County’s detention facilities for the period of July 1, 2024, through June 30, 2027, with the option to extend the contract by two additional one-year periods or one additional two-year period.
(Presenter: Kelly Welty, Chief Deputy Director, 387-3760)
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 will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The recommended Agreement will provide for continued cooperation between the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator (Department), through its Community Service and Reentry Division (CSRD), and Loma Linda University (LLU), School of Behavioral Health. Under the terms of the Agreement, the Department will provide students currently enrolled in LLU’s Behavioral Health Master’s and Doctoral programs (Programs) with supervision, training, and field experience in education programs, including trauma recovery, marriage and family relations provided to clients (inmates) at the County’s detention facilities.
CSRD is required by Title 15 CCR to provide adult education programing to inmates housed in County detention facilities. LLU’s students will assist CSRD in providing these services to inmates and their families. The goal of the proposed Agreement is to provide students with supervised practicum placement at a detention facility for the purpose of assisting with inmate rehabilitation and successful reentry into the community. The training and field experience gained by the student will augment their classroom learning in preparation for professional work in their chosen field of study or occupation.
On October 26, 2021 (Item No. 72), the Board of Supervisors approved non-financial Agreement 21-815 with Loma Linda University, School of Behavioral Health, for the period of October 26, 2021 through June 30, 2024.
Approval of the recommended Agreement aligns with the County’s Vision to strengthen the career skills of the region’s workforce by connecting residents with opportunities that enhance their qualifications to support existing employers and attract new employees to the area. Additionally, the Department will benefit from the additional support provided by LLU’s students to the ISU staff to provide inmate classes, interactive counseling sessions, and one-on-one support in an effort to reduce the cycle of trauma and incarceration.
While the parties successfully negotiated this Agreement, the Agreement includes a non-standard term as follows:
1. The Agreement with LLU allows for mutual indemnification.
• The County standard contract requires the contractor to indemnify the County in accordance with County Policy 11-07
• Potential Impact: The Agreement will require the County and LLU to indemnify each other based on competitive fault. The County could be liable for potential harm or loss incurred by LLU. However, LLU students that would provide services at the detention facilities were to suffer any injury occurring at the detention facilities would be “on-duty,” the Department believes personnel and LLU’s staff have adequate insurance coverage, limiting a portion of the liability issue.
While this is an exception to the County’s standard contract language, the Department recommends approval of this Agreement to help fulfill CSRD’s Title 15 obligations to provide adult education programming to inmates housed in County detention facilities, and for the purpose of assisting with inmate rehabilitation and successful reentry into the community. County Counsel and Risk Management have reviewed and provided input on the Agreement.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Grace B. Parsons, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on March 21, 2024; Risk Management (Gregory Ustaszewski, Staff Analyst, 396-9008) on March 26, 2024; Finance (Erika Rodarte, Administrative Analyst, 387-4919) on June 7, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Robert Saldana, Deputy Executive Officer, 387-5423) on June 9, 2024.