REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 23, 2025
FROM
GEORGINA YOSHIOKA, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Contract with Orchid Court, Inc. for Enhanced Board and Care Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve contract with Orchid Court, Inc., for the provision of Enhanced Board and Care services, in the amount not to exceed $7,886,880, for the contract period of October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2030.
(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 contract amount not to exceed $7,886,880 for Enhanced Board and Care (EBC) services is funded by the Behavioral Health Services Act and Mental Health Block Grant. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in DBH’s 2025-26 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 San Bernardino County (County) residents experiencing severe mental illness (SMI) and/or SUD. Since 1995, Orchid Court, Inc. (Orchid Court) has been providing around-the-clock EBC services, to enhance the residential support of adult clients experiencing SMI who are being discharged from long-term locked psychiatric residential facilities and acute psychiatric hospitals.
The use of EBC services has enabled DBH to reduce the clients' length of stay in long-term locked psychiatric residential facilities and acute psychiatric hospitals by transitioning clients to a lower level of care. Activities of daily living assistance, encouragement to develop independent life skills and on-site supervision increases the likelihood the client will remain stable in a community setting. The client's opportunity for success in the transition process from a locked facility to a lower level of care is improved through supportive EBC services.
In 2023-24, EBC served 56 DBH clients. All participating clients were referred from higher levels of care and stepped down into a lower level of care through the EBC option, allowing for placement in the least restrictive environment. Additionally, 78% of participants received entitlements such as financial support, health insurance, food assistance and other related benefits that allow participants to become self-sufficient and gain additional independence. A total of 96% of clients did not return to a locked psychiatric facility within 90 days of locked psychiatric facility admission.
DBH anticipates Orchid Court will provide 14,600 bed days annually (40 beds available year-round) at a cost of $102 per bed per day. The contract includes the cost for hearing impaired services at an hourly rate of $30 for a maximum of 2,912 hours (56 hours per week for 52 weeks).
DBH will implement mechanisms to regularly to 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
The Purchasing Department supports the non-competitive procurement of EBC services from Orchid Court based on specialized credentials. Orchid Court provides highly specialized enhanced residential care services and has nearly 30 years of experience serving clients with behavioral health conditions and addressing the additional challenges of clients with hearing impairments. After a search, alternative providers capable of providing the needed EBC services were not found. Orchid Court’s proximity to DBH’s Adult Continuing Care Program in Rialto facilitates smooth transitions and continuity of care.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health Contracts (Marianna Martinez, Administrative Supervisor II, 383-3940) on August 21, 2025; County Counsel (Charles Phan, Supervising Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 22, 2025; Purchasing (Joni Yang, Buyer III, 387-2463) on August 25, 2025; County Finance and Administration (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on September 8, 2025.