REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
November 17, 2026
FROM
ARLENE MOLINA, Director, Preschool Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Non-Financial Contract with Loma Linda University Health for Vision Screening Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve non-financial Contract, including a non-standard term, with Loma Linda University Health for vision screening services for children enrolled in Early Head Start, Head Start Preschool, and State Preschool programs countywide, for the total contract period of December 1, 2026 through November 30, 2031.
(Presenter: Arlene Molina, Director, 945-6478)
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 will not result in the use of Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost) as this item is non-financial in nature. Vision screening services to children enrolled in Early Head Start (EHS), Head Start Preschool (HSP), and State Preschool programs (SPP) at countywide Preschool Services Department (PSD) school sites will be provided at no cost to the County by Loma Linda University Health (LLU).
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
PSD provides EHS, HSP, and SPP that include comprehensive child development and family services comprised of education, health, nutrition, parent involvement, and psychological services for children ages zero to five years and their families. The overall goal of these programs is to increase the health and school readiness of disadvantaged children and increase the self-sufficiency of low-income families.
Since 2015, PSD has partnered with LLU to provide vision screening services. Approval of this item will allow for the continuation of services to 800 to 1,000 preschool children annually, who are enrolled in EHS, HSP, and SPP countywide, through an Individualized Supervised-Practice Pathways (ISPP) Vision Screening Program. The ISPP Vision Screening Program utilizes trained volunteers designated by LLU and approved by PSD to provide services at PSD sites, which include certified screenings using electronic vision equipment. PSD will provide facilities and appropriate guidance for the provision of vision screening services to PSD children. If further treatment is needed, PSD will then refer the child to a local optometrist.
Head Start Performance Standards 45 CFR § 1302.33(a) - Child Screenings and Assessments and 45 CFR § 1302.42(b)(2) - Child Health Status and Care require PSD to perform health screenings to identify concerns regarding a child’s developmental, sensory (visual and auditory), behavioral, motor, language, social, cognitive, perceptual, and emotional skills, within 45 days of the child’s entry into the program.
LLU’s performance will be monitored by review of monthly reports to ensure compliance with the administrative, fiscal, and program requirements of the contract. PSD will monitor LLU’s performance through ongoing coordination with participating sites and review of service delivery. Monitoring will include LLU’s responsiveness to scheduling needs, timely provision of scheduled vision screening services, professionalism of its staff, and completion of all required documentation. The County may terminate the Contract without cause upon 30 days written notice.
The recommended contract with LLU includes a non-standard term that differs from the standard County contract terms:
The contract does not require LLU to indemnify the County for all claims arising out of the contract.
• The County standard contract indemnity provision requires the Contractor to indemnify, defend, and hold the County harmless from third party claims arising out of the acts, errors or omissions of any person.
• Potential Impact: LLU’s indemnification obligation is narrower than the County’s standard provision because it applies only to the extent a claim is caused by the negligence of LLU or its employees. Claims arising from the acts or omissions of other persons, or claims for which LLU’s negligence cannot be established, may fall outside LLU’s duty to defend or indemnify the County, leaving the County solely liable for the costs of defense and damages.
PSD has reviewed the non-standard term and determined that the benefit to the County outweighs the potential risks the non-standard terms pose and recommends approval of the contract with LLU.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Human Services (Lisa Rivas-Ordaz, Contracts Manager, 388-0222) on October 8, 2026; County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on November 3, 2026; Risk Management (Arrissia Beaven, Staff Analyst II, 386-9030) on October 16, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Allegra Pajot, Administrative Analyst, 387-4351) on October 22, 2026.