REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 9, 2026
FROM
JAMES LOCURTO, Director, Transitional Assistance Department
SUBJECT
Title
Amendments to Contracts for Domestic Abuse Intervention and Shelter Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 1 to contracts with the following agencies to provide countywide domestic abuse intervention and shelter services, increasing the total combined contract amount by $2,515,759, from $2,515,759 to $5,031,518, and extending the contracts for one additional year, for the total contract period of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2027:
1. Desert Sanctuary, Inc., Contract No. 25-493, increasing the amount by $381,801, from $381,801 to $763,602.
2. DOVES of Big Bear Valley, Inc., Contract No. 25-494, increasing the amount by $367,000, from $367,000 to $734,000.
3. Family Assistance Program, Contract No. 25-495, increasing the amount by $439,196, from $439,196 to $878,392.
4. House of Ruth, Inc., Contract No. 25-496, increasing the amount by $281,333, from $281,333 to $562,666.
5. Morongo Basin Unity Home, Inc., Contract No. 25-497, increasing the amount by $352,951, from $352,951 to $705,902.
6. Option House, Inc., Contract No. 25-498, increasing the amount by $361,478, from $361,478 to $722,956.
7. Victor Valley Domestic Violence, Inc., dba A Better Way, Contract No. 25-499, increasing the amount by $332,000, from $332,000 to $664,000.
(Presenter: James LoCurto, Director, 388-0245)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Approval of this item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The increase of $2,515,759 is approximately 88% federally funded through the California Work Opportunity and Responsibility to Kids (CalWORKs) single allocation of $2,221,759 and approximately 12% locally funded through Senate Bill (SB) 1246 revenue, derived from a surcharge on marriage license fees and court ordered domestic abuse fines of $294,000. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Human Services Administrative Claim 2026-27 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Over the past 45 years, the Transitional Assistance Department (TAD) has contracted with local agencies to provide domestic abuse intervention and shelter services. Some of the many services provided under these contracts include a 24-hour crisis hotline, group meetings to discuss issues and concerns with others who are experiencing similar problems, temporary shelter for those who need to immediately vacate their homes for safety reasons, and outreach services which may include domestic abuse awareness, education, and life skills classes. Services also include providing referrals to existing services in the community, such as medical care, legal assistance, and Welfare-to-Work activities to enable the customer to obtain unsubsidized employment as they move toward self-sufficiency.
California’s welfare reform bill, Assembly Bill 1542, passed in 1997, includes a family abuse section, which addresses domestic abuse issues that may serve as barriers to employment or self-sufficiency for CalWORKs applicants and recipients. The objective of the bill is to identify CalWORKs applicants and recipients who are past and/or present survivors of domestic abuse and to assist them in obtaining employment and becoming self-sufficient. In addition, SB 1246 requires counties to place a surcharge on the cost of marriage licenses, which is to be used to augment direct and shelter services for victims of domestic abuse and their children.
The seven agencies listed in Recommendation Nos. 1-7 have provided critical services throughout the county to victims of domestic abuse and their children and have assisted CalWORKs customers in obtaining training to support self-sufficiency and lasting employment. Since 2007, these agencies have served more than 35,000 victims of domestic abuse. Upon approval of the recommended amendments, TAD anticipates the agencies will provide domestic abuse intervention and shelter services to an additional 2,100 victims of domestic abuse.
On June 18, 2025 (Item No. 102), the Board of Supervisors approved the non-competitive contracts in Recommendation Nos. 1-7 to provide domestic abuse intervention and shelter services, in the total combined amount of $2,515,759, for the period of July 1, 2025 through June 30, 2026, with four one-year extension options by mutual agreement of both parties. The Purchasing Department concurred with the non-competitive procurement for these services based on the justification of specialized credentials and expertise.
Contractor performance will continue to be monitored by reviewing monthly reports detailing expenses and the progress of each CalWORKs customer, and an annual site visit to monitor for compliance with the administrative, fiscal, and program requirements of the contract. The contracts may be terminated without cause by the County with 30-days written notice.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services (Lisa Rivas-Ordaz, Contracts Manager, 388-0222) on April 14, 2026; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on April 30, 2026; Purchasing (Joni Yang, Buyer III, 387-2463) on April 30, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (John Hallen, Principal Administrative Analyst, 388-0208) on May 17, 2026.