REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 11, 2024
FROM
SHARON NEVINS, Director, Department of Aging and Adult Services
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract with Inland Counties Legal Services, Inc. for Older Americans Act Title III B Legal Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 3 to Contract No. 20-473 with Inland Counties Legal Services, Inc., for Older Americans Act Title III B legal services, increasing the contract amount by $400,000, from $2,750,000 to a total amount not to exceed $3,150,000, and extending the contract term by one year, for a total term of July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2025.
(Presenter: Sharon Nevins, Director, 891-3917)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote the Countywide Vision.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The Older Americans Act (OAA) Title III B legal services funding will be provided by Federal Area Plan (AP) revenue from the California Department of Aging (CDA), which includes Federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding and State Older Adults' Recovery and Resilience (OARR) Act funding. Review and approval are not required from the County’s Coronavirus Local Fiscal Recovery Fund County American Rescue Plan (CLFRF) team as the ARPA funding in this contract is provided to Department of Aging and Adult Services (DAAS) by the AP and the CDA, and not from the CLFRF. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the DAAS 2023-24 budget and is included in the 2024-25 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The OAA was designed to maintain the welfare and dignity of older individuals and to meet the diverse needs of this population. As the designated Area Agency on Aging, DAAS has received funding to provide OAA legal services since 1985. Legal assistance includes a wide variety of legal topics related to housing, consumer fraud, bankruptcy, elder abuse, Social Security, Supplemental Security Income, Medicare, Medi-Cal, age discrimination, pensions, nursing homes, protective services, conservatorships, estate planning, wills and trusts, and other legal matters with respect to the diverse needs of the older adult population. Types of services provided may include, but are not limited to legal advice, attorney representation, brief services, transactional services, and referrals to other agencies.
The recommended Amendment No. 3 to Contract No. 20-473 (Contract) will allow the contractor to provide approximately 5,700 hours of legal services to approximately 900 older individuals (aged 60 and older), particularly those who reside in rural areas, have the greatest economic and/or social need (with particular attention to low-income minority individuals and non-English speaking individuals), and those with severe disabilities, or Alzheimer's disease or related disorders with neurological and organic brain dysfunction and are at risk for institutional placement.
On June 23, 2020 (Item No. 8), as the result of a competitive procurement, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved the Contract with Inland Counties Legal Services, Inc. (ICLS), for a total amount not to exceed $990,000, for the period of July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2023, with the option of two additional one-year extensions.
On December 26, 2022 (Item No. 5), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to the Contract with ICLS, increasing the amount by $860,000, from $990,000 to $1,850,000, to provide additional legal services, with no change to the contract period of July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2023.
On June 27, 2023 (Item No. 5), the Board approved Amendment No. 2 to the Contract with ICLS, increasing the amount by $900,000, from $1,850,000 to $2,750,000, and extending the contract term by one additional year for a total term of July 1, 2020, through June 30, 2024.
Contractor performance will continue to be measured by reviewing monthly reports and annual site visits by San Bernardino County (County) staff to monitor compliance with the administrative, fiscal, and program requirements of the Contract. The Contract may be terminated by the County immediately if funds are not available and without cause by serving a written notice to the contractor 30 days in advance of termination.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on February 29, 2024; County Counsel (Jacqueline Carey-Wilson, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on April 13, 2024; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on May 21, 2024; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on May 23, 2024.