REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
January 13, 2026
FROM
GEORGINA YOSHIOKA, Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Revised Standard Agreement Template for Children’s Residential Intensive Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve the revised standard agreement template for ongoing Children’s Residential Intensive Services, retroactively effective July 1, 2024, or date of youth placement, whichever occurs later, updating standard contract language, increasing the total aggregate in an amount not to exceed $19,200,000, from $53,000,000 to $72,200,000, and extending the contract term by six months for a total contract period of July 1, 2024, or date of youth placement, whichever occurs later, through December 31, 2026.
2. Authorize the Assistant Executive Officer, Deputy Executive Officer, or Director of the Department of Behavioral Health to execute the individual standard agreement template with qualified agencies that have completed the standardized application process to become a Children’s Residential Intensive Services provider, including any non-substantive changes, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
(Presenter: Marina Espinosa, Assistant 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 aggregate increase in an amount not to exceed $19,200,000 for Children's Residential Intensive Services (ChRIS) is funded by Federal Financial Participation Medi-Cal, 2011 Realignment, a Memorandum of Understanding with the Department of Children and Family Services (CFS), and Mental Health Services Act funds. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Behavioral Health's (DBH) 2025-26 budget and will be included in the 2026-27 recommended budget.
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 and/or SUD. As part of DBH’s continuum of care, DBH provides Specialty Mental Health Services (SMHS) to minors in residential care settings. DBH has been providing ChRIS to children requiring SMHS in Short-Term Residential Therapeutic Programs (STRTPs) since 2010.
The County Probation Department and CFS, while striving to have youth placed locally, are the placing agencies for high needs youth into STRTPs throughout the state on behalf of the County. The ChRIS standard agreement template formalizes the reimbursement process for SMHS that are provided to treat serious emotional disturbances experienced by youth placed into STRTPs. The residential costs of placement at STRTPs are covered by CFS.
The ChRIS program is a structured residential program using STRTPs that incorporate the principles and behaviors of the Integrated Core Practice Model (ICPM). ICPM is a team-based process, implemented in four phases: Engagement, Service Planning, Monitoring and Adapting, and Transition. Through individualized plans that address the unique needs of each child and family member, ICPM aims to establish authentic partnerships to collectively bring together well-being and permanency for the child or youth in the ChRIS program. Services are available to eligible children and youth during the period of placement and up to two months after the child or youth has left the group home to facilitate a successful transition to a lower level of care.
ChRIS providers must meet strict licensing, accreditation, qualification, and program requirements to be part of DBH’s qualified provider pool. The California Department of Health Care Services expects DBH to have an agreement approved within 30 days of notification from a qualified agency requesting to provide ChRIS. The standard agreement template enables DBH to meet this expectation when qualified providers are identified.
On June 22, 2021 (Item No. 30), as the result of a formal procurement, the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved a standard agreement template for ongoing procurements to be used for the provision of ChRIS, in the aggregate amount not to exceed $53,000,000, from the date of execution through June 30, 2026.
On May 24, 2022 (Item No. 42), the Board approved the revision of the standard agreement template for ongoing procurements to be used for the provision of ChRIS, with no change to the aggregate amount not to exceed $53,000,000 or change to the agreement period of the date of execution through June 30, 2026.
On June 25, 2024 (Item No. 40), the Board approved the revision of the standard agreement template for ongoing procurements to be used for the provision of ChRIS, updating agreement language, to be used with current and future qualified agencies, with no change to the aggregate amount not to exceed $53,000,000, or change to the agreement period of the date of execution through June 30, 2026.
On March 25, 2025 (Item No. 19), the Board approved the revision of the standard agreement template for ongoing procurements to be used for the provision of ChRIS, updating agreement language, to be used with current and future qualified agencies, with no change to the aggregate amount not to exceed $53,000,000, retroactively effective July 1, 2024, or the date of youth placement, whichever occurs later, and with no change to the end term date of June 30, 2026.
DBH is requesting retroactive approval of this item, as a fiscal analysis that DBH performed throughout 2025 showed that some current ChRIS providers with established contracts require increases to their original awarded amount. The analysis showed that a budget increase and term extension are required due to administrative changes resulting from the passage of Assembly Bill 1051 (AB 1051).
AB 1051 is designed to ensure uninterrupted access to SMHS for dependents by maintaining service responsibility with the County of Jurisdiction-Mental Health Plan (MHP). These legislative changes have resulted in increased costs for DBH. As the MHP for the County, DBH is legally mandated to establish and maintain contracts with out-of-county providers for SMHS.
Additionally, the revised standard agreement template will include updated budget submission requirements for providers to streamline payment processes for DBH. Approval of this item will ensure uninterrupted delivery of SHMS consistent with state and federal requirements. This item is being brought forward at the first date available after the required DBH program, fiscal, administrative, and legal reviews. There was no impact on services caused by the retroactivity.
The ChRIS program currently has 45 agency providers. During the remaining term of the contract, DBH anticipates adding two new STRTP providers per month, each serving an estimated two youth. Currently, DBH has 13 youth placed in out-of-county STRTPs that do not have an agreement with DBH for the provision of SMHS. The recommended agreements will be used to formalize the relationship between the County and the out-of-county STRTPs. The $19.2 million aggregate increase will ensure that STRTP providers are reimbursed for services to maintain compliance with AB 1051.
DBH will also implement mechanisms to regularly review 1) client service data and progress, conduct site visits and annual monitoring to ensure performance and compliance standards of the contract(s) are met; 2) applicable claims data and claims for reimbursement to ensure fidelity and accuracy of service billing and optimization of Medi-Cal reimbursement in alignment with contract terms and Department of Health Care Services billing requirements; and 3) provider invoices administratively and programmatically to ensure client and/or bed counts are accurate prior to payment processing.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health (Marianna Martinez, Administrative Supervisor II, 383-3940) on November 26, 2025; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on December 9, 2025; and County Finance and Administration (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 388-0218) on December 19, 2025.