REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
June 23, 2026
FROM
JOSHUA DUGAS, Acting Director, Department of Behavioral Health
SUBJECT
Title
Amendment to Contract for Native American Resource Center Services
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve Amendment No. 2 to Contract No. 20-321 with Riverside - San Bernardino County Indian Health, Inc., for the provision of Native American Resource Center program services, updating standard contract language, increasing the total contract amount by $750,000, from $3,000,000 to $3,750,000, and extending the contract by an additional one year and six months, for a total contract period of July 1, 2020 through December 31, 2027.
(Presenter: Joshua Dugas, Acting Director, 252-5142)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Promote and Fulfill the Countywide Vision.
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). The recommended increase of $750,000 for Native American Resource Center (NARC) services will be funded by Behavioral Health Services Act (BHSA), Behavioral Health Services and Supports funds. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in the Department of Behavioral Health’s (DBH) 2025-26 and 2026-27 budgets and will be included in the 2027-28 recommended budget.
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
DBH provides mental health and substance use disorder (SUD) services to county residents experiencing severe mental illness and/or SUD. An integral part of the service delivery system consists of identifying and delivering a variety of mental health treatment services to unserved or underserved populations. Riverside - San Bernardino County Indian Health, Inc. (RSBCIH) provides NARC services to address the mental health needs of the Native American population residing in the county.
NARC provides a range of services and resources, including mental health treatment, support groups, outreach and education, and activities specifically designed to reduce the stigma and discrimination associated with mental illness. NARC serves the needs of all age groups and targets communities with high numbers of Native American residents. Since 2010, RSBCIH has provided NARC program services to county residents through a contract with DBH.
Approval of the recommended amendment will allow RSBCIH to continue providing NARC services. RSBCIH is uniquely qualified to serve the Native American community through its longstanding relationships with local tribes and Native American residents, culturally specific expertise, and established community trust that supports engagement in behavioral health services.
On June 2, 2020 (Item No. 14), the Board of Supervisors (Board) approved Contract No. 20-321 with RSBCIH, for NARC program services to provide an extensive array of behavioral health resources to address the identified behavioral health needs and stressors of Native American communities by providing prevention and early intervention services within the community, in natural, culturally appropriate settings, in the amount of $2,500,000, for the period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2025.
On May 20, 2025 (Item No. 23), the Board approved Amendment No. 1 to Contract No. 20-321 with RSBCIH, for NARC program services, increasing the total contract amount by $500,000, from $2,500,000 to $3,000,000, and extending the contract by an additional year, for the total contract period of July 1, 2020 through June 30, 2026.
In 2024-25, NARC provided services to:
• Approximately 3,328 unduplicated clients, including an additional 30,449 participants at a Pow Wow event
• At an average cost of $283 per client
Approval of the recommended amendment will ensure the continued provision of NARC services during the additional one year and six-month contract term to:
• Approximately 2,641 additional unduplicated participants
• At an estimated cost of $284 per client
Performance measures for the NARC contract focus on tracking service quality, timeliness, accessibility, and outcomes to ensure the provider meets established standards. Contractors are required to submit regular reporting such as monthly service logs, outcome data, fiscal reports, and compliance documentation, which allows the department to monitor progress and identify trends or concerns. Accountability mechanisms, including performance audits, contract monitoring meetings, site visits, and corrective action plans, help ensure that services are delivered as intended and align with program goals. Together, these structures promote transparency, support continuous improvement, and ensure that community members receive high-quality, effective behavioral health services.
The recommended amendment to the contract for the provision of NARC services updates contract language to ensure integrated compliance with BHSA requirements and to support the transition from Mental Health Services Act (MHSA) funding to BHSA funding. BHSA was approved through Proposition 1 in March of 2024, replacing and updating the former MHSA. BHSA modernizes funding and expands statewide access to behavioral health and SUD services, effective July 1, 2026. BHSA strengthens equity, accountability, and transparency, increases the behavioral health workforce, and expands housing and treatment resources. The recommended contract amendment additionally updates program requirement language and increases funding for the extended term through December 31, 2027.
DBH will continue to regularly 1) review client service data and progress, conduct site visits and annual monitoring to ensure performance and compliance standards of the contract(s) are met, and 2) review provider invoices administratively and programmatically to ensure client and/or bed counts are accurate prior to payment processing.
PROCUREMENT
Not applicable.
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by Behavioral Health (Marianna Martinez, Administrative Supervisor II, 383-3940) on May 29, 2026; County Counsel (Dawn Martin, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on May 29, 2026; and County Finance and Administration (Iliana Rodriguez, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on June 4, 2026.