REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
November 17, 2026
FROM
JEANY GLASGOW, Director, Children and Family Services
SUBJECT
Title
Contract Template for Resource Family Homes to Reserve Short-Term Placement Capacity for Foster Youth
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
1. Approve a contract template, including non-standard terms, for Resource Family Homes to reserve short-term placement capacity for Children and Family Services’ foster youth, in an aggregate amount not to exceed $365,000, effective upon execution and expiring two years after its execution date.
2. Authorize the Director or Assistant Director of Children and Family Services to execute the contracts with individual Resource Family Homes, make any non-substantive changes to the contract template, and execute any subsequent non-substantive amendments to the contracts executed under the contract template, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
(Presenter: Jeany Glasgow, Director, 658-1181)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote and Fulfill the Countywide Vision.
Foster Sustainable Development Through Strategic Partnerships.
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item will not result in the need to request additional Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The aggregate amount not to exceed $365,000 is funded 100% Net County Cost Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Human Services Subsistence-Out of Home Care 2026-27 budget and will be included in future recommended budgets.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Children and Family Services (CFS) protects endangered children, preserves and strengthens their families, and develops alternative family settings. These services, as mandated by law and regulation, are provided in the least intrusive manner with a family-centered focus.
CFS regularly requires immediate placement for children and youth entering foster care or changing placements outside normal business hours, including nights, weekends, and holidays. Without an available Resource Family Home (RFH), they may remain in County offices or be placed in temporary lodging, congregate care, or out-of-county facilities. These alternatives are more costly and may result in poorer outcomes. The recommended contract template reserves identified beds in approved RFHs so that a vetted, family-based placement is available when needed, consistent with state and federal preferences for family-based settings over congregate care.
Approval of Recommendation No. 1 will establish the recommended contract template, including non-standard terms, which will allow CFS to contract with multiple approved RFHs as homes are identified and agree to reserve placement capacity. CFS anticipates executing contracts with approximately five RFHs, each reserving an average of two beds, at a rate of $50 per bed, per day.
Approval of Recommendation No. 2 will authorize the Director or Assistant Director of CFS to execute individual contracts under the approved template without returning to the Board of Supervisors (Board) for approval of each individual contract, make any non-substantive changes to the contract template, and execute any subsequent non-substantive amendments to contracts executed under the template, on behalf of the County, subject to review by County Counsel.
Under each contract executed under the template, the contractor will hold a specified number of beds vacant and exclusively available for potential CFS placements. These beds will not be used for any purpose other than CFS referrals. If a CFS-referred youth is placed in one of the reserved beds, the contractor will notify CFS immediately once that bed becomes available again. The contractor will accept appropriate placement referrals 24 hours a day, seven days a week, subject to the availability of the reserved beds.
No child or youth will receive care or supervision under these contracts. The contracts secure placement capacity only, and the identified beds must remain vacant and available until an appropriate placement is made. Once a child or youth is placed, the reservation payment stops for that bed, and the child’s or youth’s care and supervision are governed by the California Department of Social Services Agency-Foster Parents Agreement (Form SOC 156).
Each contractor must have completed the Resource Family Approval (RFA) process administered under California law and California Department of Social Services Written Directives, which serves as the State-mandated operating authority and licensure equivalent for an RFH. RFA approval includes home health and safety assessments; background clearances through the California Department of Justice, Federal Bureau of Investigation, and Child Abuse Central Index; and ongoing compliance monitoring. The contract template requires each contractor to maintain current State and County RFA documentation throughout the contract term, including an active RFA Certificate of Approval, continuous criminal background clearances, documented compliance with home environment safety standards, and annual recertification updates. Additionally, the contract template authorizes immediate termination if a contractor’s RFA approval is suspended or revoked.
CFS will monitor each contract for compliance and appropriate use of funds. CFS will verify each contractor’s RFA status before a contract is executed and at each annual update. CFS will also review each monthly invoice against the daily bed availability, referral, and placement records the contract template requires contractors to keep, and against CFS placement records. Payment is made only for days a reserved bed is vacant and available for CFS referral. The contract template also gives the County the right to monitor contractor performance and audit contractor records.
Approval of this item will provide CFS with immediate access to vetted, family-based placement capacity while longer-term placement arrangements are identified. The contract template contains a non-standard term that requires approval per County Policy 11-05 as follows:
The contract template does not require Contractors to meet the County’s insurance standards as required pursuant to County Policies 11-05, 11-07, and 11-07SP.
• County policy requires contractors to carry appropriate insurance at limits and under conditions determined by the County's Risk Management Department and as set forth in County policy and in the County standard contract.
• Potential Impact: The County has no assurance that the Contractor will be financially responsible for claims that may arise under the contract, which could result in expenses to the County that exceed the total contract amount.
CFS recommends approval of this contract template, including non-standard terms, to reserve short-term placement capacity for CFS foster youth. RFHs generally do not maintain commercial insurance coverage, and applying the County’s standard insurance requirements would substantially eliminate the pool of eligible households. Residual risk is limited because no child or youth receives care or supervision under the contracts, the identified beds remain vacant for the duration of the reservation, and each home remains subject to ongoing RFA approval and monitoring and to CFS contract monitoring as described above. The County may also terminate any contract without cause upon 30 days’ written notice or immediately if a contractor’s RFA approval is suspended or revoked.
PROCUREMENT
Purchasing supports the use of a noncompetitive contract template under the specialized credentials, expertise, and training justification. Each contractor must be an approved Resource Family Parent operating a County-approved RFH and must have completed the RFA process, including required assessments and background clearances.
CFS offers the same bed-hold agreement to qualified RFH’s at a fixed, non-negotiated rate of $50 per available bed per day. Because the rate is uniformly established for eligible RFH’s, obtaining additional price quotes would not result in price competition or savings. The agreement is non-exclusive, and CFS may establish similar agreements with additional qualified RFH’s that meet the required approval and credentialing requirements.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services (Lisa Rivas-Ordaz, Contracts Manager, 388-0222) on October 22, 2026; County Counsel (Daniella V. Hernandez, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 3, 2026; Risk Management (Arrissia Beaven, Staff Analyst II, 386-9030) on October 27, 2026; Purchasing (Michael Reyna, Buyer III, 387-2233) on October 28, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (John Hallen, Principal Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on November 4, 2026.