REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF THE COUNTY OF SAN BERNARDINO
AND RECORD OF ACTION
October 27, 2020
FROM
PHALOS HAIRE, Director, Preschool Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract with Child Care Resource Center to Provide Subsidized Childcare through the Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership Program
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 1, effective July 1, 2020, to Contract No. 20-493 with Child Care Resource Center to provide subsidized childcare as part of the Early Head Start-Child Care Partnership Program, increasing the total contract amount by $95,812, from $4,474,824 to $4,570,636, with no change in the total contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023.
(Presenter: Phalos Haire, Director, 383-2005)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
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 increase of $95,812 for subsidized childcare services includes a 2% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA) that is 100% federally funded through the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), and CARES Act funding for COVID-19 related expenses. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Preschool Services Department’s (PSD) 2020-21 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Under the terms of the recommended amendment with the Child Care Resource Center (CCRC), PSD will continue to provide subsidized childcare services to qualified families through the Early Head Start - Child Care Partnership (EHS-CCP) Program. The amendment provides for a 2% Cost of Living Adjustment (COLA), as well as CARES Act funding for COVID-19 related costs, such as distance learning equipment and safety supplies, that must be expended by December 31, 2020. PSD will use a portion of the EHS-CCP supplemental funding to provide a 2.0% salary scale COLA for EHS-CCP program contract staff, and to pay additional operating costs, such as those that have resulted from an increase in retirement costs for contract staff. The overall goal of Early Head Start programs is to increase the health and school readiness of disadvantaged children and increase the self-sufficiency of low-income families.
Head Start, Early Head Start, and State Preschool programs provide comprehensive child development and family services that include education, health, nutrition, parent involvement, and psychological services for children age 0 to 5 and their 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. PSD currently contracts with six agencies to serve approximately 856 eligible children and their families annually. PSD provides direct services to approximately 4,200 eligible children and their families in areas not served by contracted agencies.
Contractor performance will continue to be measured by reviewing the required monthly reports and annual visits by County staff to monitor compliance with the administrative, fiscal, and program requirements of the contract. This contract may be terminated without cause by the County with a 30-day written notice.
The recommended amendment is being presented at this time as PSD received supplemental funding awards in September 2020 for a 2% Cost of Living Adjustment, as well as CARES Act funding to contracted agencies providing Head Start, Early Head Start, and EHS-CCP programs. The supplemental funding is effective July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2021, however, the funding increase needs to be made available to CCRC right away as the CARES Act funds must be used by the end of December 2020. This is the first date available for presentation of this amendment following the required operational, fiscal, and legal reviews. Approval by the Board of Supervisors (Board) at this time will have no impact on PSD’s EHS-CCP Program services and activities.
PROCUREMENT
On June 23, 2020 (Item No. 55), the Board approved Contract No. 20-493 with CCRC to provide subsidized childcare as part of EHS-CCP Program, in the amount of $4,474,824, for the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2023.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Jennifer Mulhall-Daudel, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on October 1, 2020; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on October 9, 2020; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on October 8, 2020; and County Finance and Administration (Tanya Bratton, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0332) on October 8, 2020.