REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
September 12, 2023
FROM
DIANA ALEXANDER, Assistant Executive Officer, Human Services
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Non-Financial Memorandum of Understanding Between Public and Private Entities for the Children’s Assessment Center
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 2, which omits a standard County contract provision, to Agreement No. 12-778, a non-financial Memorandum of Understanding between Children’s Fund, Inc.; Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital; San Bernardino County Police Chief’s Association; and San Bernardino County on behalf of Children and Family Services, Children’s Network, Department of Behavioral Health, Department of Public Health, District Attorney, and the Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator, reaffirming the public and private collaborative, as required for reaccreditation by the National Children’s Alliance, to provide forensic evaluations of child victims of physical and sexual abuse, and outlining partner agency responsibilities.
(Presenter: Diane Rundles, Assistant Executive Officer, 387-5570)
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
Amendment No. 2 to Agreement No. 12-778 is non-financial, and therefore does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). Partner agency financial commitments in support of the Children’s Assessment Center (CAC), if any, are set forth in separate contracts and referenced in the CAC’s operating budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Amendment No. 2 to Agreement No. 12-778, a non-financial Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), will reaffirm the commitment of the County; Children’s Fund, Inc.; Loma Linda University Children’s Hospital (LLUCH); and the San Bernardino County Police Chief’s Association to provide support to the CAC. The reaffirmation is required by the National Children’s Alliance (NCA) for reaccreditation. Accreditation is the highest level of membership a CAC can achieve as part of NCA’s national network. It is a rigorous process that ensures quality evidenced-based services are being provided by a CAC for children and families. The MOU delineates the responsibilities of each partner agency relating to the CAC, and thereby, ensures the forensically sound evaluation of abused and neglected children.
On September 29, 1986 (Item No. 62), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved an agreement that created a public-private partnership between the County and Loma Linda University Medical Center (LLUMC) to develop and operate a one-stop multidisciplinary interview center where child victims of sexual and physical abuse are forensically interviewed and receive evidentiary medical examinations.
The Children’s Network Policy Council established a collaborative partnership in 1992 to ensure NCA standards are met and NCA accreditation of the CAC is maintained, thereby providing the highest professional level of service for the benefit of abused and neglected children. The CAC was established as a result of this collaborative partnership and has been assisting children since 1994. NCA accreditation was received in 1996. The goal of the CAC is to reduce the trauma to children during the child abuse investigation process and to children who are witnesses of violent crimes. Prior to the establishment of the CAC, victims of abuse often had to endure multiple interviews and examinations, experiencing unnecessary trauma in the process.
On October 23, 2012 (Item No. 26), the Board approved the MOU reaffirming the public-private collaboration to provide forensic evaluations to child victims of physical and sexual abuse and outlining partner agency responsibilities. Partner agencies included Children’s Fund, Inc.; LLUMC; the San Bernardino County Police Chief’s Association; and the County’s Children and Family Services, Department of Behavioral Health, Department of Public Health, District Attorney, and Sheriff/Coroner/Public Administrator (Sheriff).
On January 8, 2019 (Item No. 11), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to the MOU, reaffirming the public-private collaborative, revising the partner agencies responsibilities for LLUMC and the Sheriff.
NCA reaccreditation is required every five years. The current reaccreditation is due to NCA by September 27, 2023. As required by NCA, the recommended Amendment No. 2 to the MOU reaffirms the CAC Governing Board partnership with recommitments from the following partner agencies:
• Children and Family Services: Forensic interviewing and clerical and intake support.
• Children’s Fund, Inc.: CAC support staff; developing community, corporate, and foundation relations; and grant and proposal writing.
• Children’s Network: Communication and coordination of services.
• Department of Behavioral Health: Crises, case management, and mental health services.
• Department of Public Health: Lab testing assistance.
• District Attorney: Victim advocate services.
• LLUCH: Management, medical, forensic, and technical support; Amendment No. 2 also revises the partnering agency from LLUMC to LLUCH.
• San Bernardino County Police Chief’s Association: Financial support solicited from Association membership.
• Sheriff: Financial support for medical services.
The MOU does not contain the standard contract provisions regarding Government Code section 84308 [Senate Bill (SB) 1439] and the disclosure of campaign contributions to a member of the Board or other County elected officer.
• Under the County standard contract the contractor states it has disclosed campaign contributions of more than $250 to any member of the Board or other County elected officer and completed a form providing additional information.
• Potential Impact: The requirements of SB 1439 do not apply to the public entities involved in this MOU, but they do apply to the private entities: Children’s Fund, Inc; LLUCH; and San Bernardino County Police Chief’s Association. The County may have difficulty gathering information about campaign contributions made by these parties.
Human Services (HS) is recommending approval of the recommended Amendment No. 2 to the MOU without the SB 1439 standard provision due to the time constraints. HS will ensure the required language is included in any subsequent or new MOU.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services Contracts (Patty Steven, Contracts Manager, 388-0241) on July 26, 2023; County Counsel (Kaleigh Ragon, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on August 9, 2023; Finance (John Hallen, Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on August 17, 2023; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on August 24, 2023.