REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 25, 2024
FROM
GEORGINA YOSHIOKA, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Approve Contract with Anne Sippi Clinic Treatment Group for Enhanced Board and Care Treatment Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve contract with Anne Sippi Clinic Treatment Group for the provision of Enhanced Board and Care Treatment Services, in the amount of $5,224,646, for the contract period of July 1, 2024 through June 30, 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 $5,224,646 with Anne Sippi Clinic Treatment Group (ASC) is funded by 1991 Realignment and Mental Health Services Act funds. Adequate appropriation and revenue will be included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2024-25 budget and future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DBH is responsible for providing mental health and substance use disorders (SUD) services to San Bernardino County (County) residents experiencing severe mental illness and/or SUD. ASC is one of a select few State-licensed board and care providers who provide specialty mental health services at the highest level of enhanced treatment. These services are utilized by clients transitioning from a long-term locked psychiatric residential facility such as State Hospitals and Institutions for Mental Disease, whose difficult behavior has impacted their ability to be placed into a traditional board and care and successfully transition into the community.
For adults living with a behavioral health condition who are discharging from long-term locked facilities and need intensive mental health case management to support their transition to the community, DBH provides care pursuant to Title 9, and Title 22 Division 6 of the California Code of Regulations (CCR), and Welfare and Institutions Code, Division 5. These enhanced treatment services incorporate an intensive multimodal approach that is valuable in assisting the client to progress in their individual recovery out of a locked psychiatric facility. For DBH clients suffering from a severe behavioral health condition, utilizing the enhanced level of care, at a significant cost savings, allows clients to step out of a locked facility and better adapt to a residential setting with personalized treatment designed for successful community reintegration.
ASC has provided Enhanced Board and Care Treatment Services in a residential setting to DBH clients at its two locations in Los Angeles and Bakersfield since 2016. ASC accepts clients who experience challenging behavior, including impulsivity and aggressiveness, which local board and care facilities will not accept, providing around-the-clock residential enhanced services to adults with severe behavioral health conditions. In addition to the board and care services required by Title 22 CCR, ASC provides intensive outpatient services including medication support, individual therapy, community outings, life skills groups, and psycho-educational groups that are tailored to enhance everyday living skills to facilitate community reintegration. ASC also provides recovery-oriented peer support programs and innovative treatment systems incorporating evidence-based practices and work-oriented programs in several languages including American Sign Language. DBH anticipates that ASC will provide Enhanced Board and Care Treatment Services to approximately 15 clients annually at an estimated cost of $69,662 per client.
DBH will implement mechanisms to regularly 1) review client service data and progress, conduct site visits, and conduct annual monitoring to ensure performance and compliance standards of the contract(s) are met; and 2) review provider invoices administratively and programmatically to ensure client and/or bed counts are accurate prior to payment processing.
PROCUREMENT
In July 2023, DBH conducted a thorough informal solicitation search for any new or existing facilities willing, and able to provide Enhanced Board and Care Treatment Services for clients residing in the County. The process included a file review of client history and needs assessment by all single licensed Board and Care facility with psychiatric treatment services. This search identified ASC as the only facility willing to provide Enhanced Board and Care Treatment Services to DBH clients with specific complex and/or challenging behaviors. The Purchasing Department concurs with the non-competitive justification of the specialized services.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health (Ellayna Hoatson, Administrative Supervisor II, 388-0858) on May 10, 2024; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 29, 2024; Purchasing (Jessica Barajas, Supervising Buyer, 387-2065) on May 15, 2024; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on June 3, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on June 6, 2024.